Secretary of State Marco Rubio will face a series of questions about the Trump administration’s fragile and stalled diplomatic efforts around the world.
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio will face a series of questions about the Trump administration’s fragile or stalled diplomatic efforts around the world on Tuesday in his first back-to-back Capitol Hill hearings since taking office. iran war here we go.
The former Republican senator will present the State Department’s annual budget request before House and Senate committees. But the focus could quickly shift to the already uneasy ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. further testing It has been attacked back and forth in recent days.
Cabinet members including Rubio have defended President Donald Trump’s decision to start a conflict despite years of pledging not to engage in “forever wars” in the Middle East. Trump’s policies make that job harder change conflict goals.
Rubio testifies before Congress for the first time since The Iran war broke out on February 28He participated in a classified briefing for lawmakers just days after the first U.S. and Israeli attacks. He faces the wrath of Democrats over his lack of congressional approval for taking action against one of America’s oldest adversaries, but has strong support from most Republicans.
However, in the two months since the war began, a small but growing number of Republicans joined Democrats in questioning the U.S. approach. Astronomical price tag and overall economic consequences The conflict will be resolved as they head into the fall midterm elections.
last month, Senate seeks to advance legislation This would force Trump to withdraw from the conflict for the first time since Republican Senator Bill Cassidy took office. Lost primary Trump has endorsed his opponents in it and worked with Democrats to push the process forward.
The House also plans to vote on the war powers resolution, but Republican leadership prevented it from coming to fruition After it became clear that the majority party did not have the numbers to defeat it.
The actions show Republicans are struggling to maintain political support for Trump’s handling of the war, as rank-and-file Republicans become increasingly willing to defy the president on the conflict.
After appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Appropriations subcommittee responsible for the State Department on Tuesday, Rubio will return to Congress on Wednesday to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the corresponding Senate Appropriations subcommittee.
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, may also be questioned over the administration’s escalating behavior toward Cuba as Trump hints at the small island nation May be the next target of the United States After business in Iran ends.
Although there are Conference series between U.S. and Cuban officials, Trump and Rubio renew threats Against the island’s government, which gained greater influence after taking power Publication of criminal charges against former President Raul Castro.
Throughout his career in Congress and now as the nation’s top diplomat, Rubio has maintained that Cuba posed a national security threat because of its ties to U.S. adversaries and that Trump was determined to address the issue.
Amiri reported from New York.
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