Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives get a rare chance this week to question Secretary of State Marco Rubio in public about President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, as his fellow Republicans have been showing signs of concern about the Iran war.
Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security adviser, testified on the State Department’s budget request to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday morning. He was to appear again before the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and House and Senate appropriations subcommittees over two days.
The Trump administration is seeking congressional approval for its proposed 30% cut to the foreign affairs budget, as it seeks a 50% increase in military spending.
Rubio was a senator from Florida until January 2025, and lawmakers said they hoped their former colleague would spell out a strategy for ending the Iran conflict, which started with strikes by the U.S. and Israel on February 28.
RUBIO’S FIRST PUBLIC TESTIMONY ABOUT IRAN WAR
Rubio has joined other top administration officials in speaking to members of Congress about the Iran war behind closed doors, but has not testified publicly on the conflict.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, blasted Rubio for failing to provide information to Congress about the administration’s plans.
“When I talk to my constituents, they asked for economic relief at home, not regime change in Havana or Caracas or Tehran,” she said.
“Instead, you sent Congress a war powers notification saying we are not in active hostilities with Iran, while the U.S. was conducting strikes against Iran, and Iran was bombing U.S. embassies and bases throughout the Middle East. That was not consultation, it was an attempt to avoid answering to this committee and this Congress about this war.”
Americans have voiced mounting frustration over rising prices, and Trump’s fellow Republicans hope he can get the Strait of Hormuz reopened and lower U.S. gasoline prices before November elections that will decide whether the party retains its slim majorities in Congress.
Trump must also contend with Iran hawks in his party who oppose any concessions to Tehran.
WILL THERE BE A DEAL TO END WAR?
Trump and his supporters insist the war will have been worthwhile if it keeps Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Trump also insists that gasoline prices will come down and has insisted for weeks that he will reach a good deal to end the conflict.
Rubio told senators Iran had intended to build up its conventional weapons capabilities as a “shield” for its nuclear program. “What they tried to do is they were going to try to build a conventional shield and hide behind that conventional shield,” he said, spelling out why Trump felt it was imperative to launch the war.
Lawmakers, including some of Trump’s fellow Republicans, have also asked for more information from the administration about its strategy on Iran and other foreign policy priorities.
Last month, the U.S. Senate voted to advance a war powers resolution that would end the Iran conflict unless Trump obtains Congress’ authorization. Days later, House leaders abruptly postponed a vote on a similar resolution when it looked likely to pass.
Members of Congress have said they want more information about Venezuela, after Trump sent U.S. forces to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, given that Maduro’s number two has been serving as Venezuela’s acting president and there are no current plans for elections.
They said they also have questions about U.S. forces firing on boats off Venezuela’s coast since September, in a campaign the administration says is intended to stop “narco-traffickers” that has killed more than 200 people.
There have also been questions about Trump’s plans for Communist-controlled Cuba, amid growing concerns about a possible U.S. military attack as his administration increases pressure on the island, and about an outbreak of the deadly disease Ebola in Africa.
(Reuters)
