Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jun 2

Rubio Defends $36 Billion State Budget as Senate Grills Iran Talks and Cuba Pressure

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jun 2

Rubio Defends $36 Billion State Budget as Senate Grills Iran Talks and Cuba Pressure

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 2

Marco Rubio appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday to defend the State Department’s fiscal 2027 budget request at a tense foreign-policy moment.
The hearing is expected to focus heavily on Trump’s Iran diplomacy, including efforts to extend a cease-fire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and launch detailed nuclear talks.
Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security adviser, has been central to those Iran deliberations and to a tougher U.S. campaign aimed at forcing reforms in Cuba.
Congressional scrutiny is rising as lawmakers weigh limits on Trump’s Iran war powers, while Rubio returns to Capitol Hill on Wednesday for a second budget hearing before the House.

Sources

Left50%

Center30%

Right20%

With conflicts in Iran and Lebanon escalating, can a hollowed-out State Department prevent a much wider regional war?

As Iran threatens global oil routes, what is the U.S. strategy beyond military strikes and a faltering blockade?

As diplomacy fails and shipping lanes are threatened, is the global economy prepared for a full-scale Middle East war?