Rubio Faces Capitol Hill Grilling as GOP War Support Wavers

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to face intense questioning on Tuesday during his first Capitol Hill hearings since the Iran war began, as the Trump administration struggles to maintain diplomatic momentum and congressional support for the conflict. The former Republican senator will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a House Appropriations subcommittee to present the State Department's annual budget request, but the focus is expected to shift quickly to the fragile ceasefire with Tehran, which has been further strained by recent tit-for-tat attacks.

Rubio has defended President Donald Trump's decision to launch the war on Feb. 28, despite Trump's past promises to avoid "forever wars" in the Middle East.

However, Trump's shifting objectives for the conflict have complicated the administration's messaging. While Rubio participated in a classified briefing for lawmakers shortly after the first U.S.

and Israeli strikes, he now faces growing bipartisan concern over the war's staggering costs and economic fallout. The conflict has disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for 20% of the world's traded oil and natural gas, driving up gas prices.

A small but increasing number of Republicans have joined Democrats in questioning the war's price tag and economic consequences as midterm elections approach. Last month, the Senate advanced legislation that would force Trump to withdraw from the conflict, after GOP Sen.

Bill Cassidy of Louisiana—who recently lost a primary election in which Trump endorsed his opponent—sided with Democrats. The House also scheduled a vote on a war powers resolution, but GOP leadership blocked it after realizing the majority party lacked the votes to defeat it.

These developments underscore the GOP's struggle to maintain political backing for Trump's handling of the war, with rank-and-file Republicans increasingly willing to defy the president. Following Tuesday's hearings, Rubio will return to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Appropriations subcommittee.

He is also expected to face questions about the administration's escalating rhetoric toward Cuba. Trump has hinted that Cuba could be the next U.S.

target after operations in Iran conclude, and the administration recently announced criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the indictment as a political stunt aimed at justifying "the folly of a military aggression against Cuba." Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has long maintained that Cuba poses a national security threat due to its ties to U.S.

adversaries, and he has signaled that Trump is determined to address it.