Secretary of State Marco Rubio is facing a litany of questions Tuesday about the Trump administration’s fragile or stalling diplomatic efforts around the world when he appears for back-to-back hearings on Capitol Hill for the first time since the Iran war began.
Senate Republicans are meeting Tuesday to discuss next steps after the Justice Department said it would comply with a court order pausing the implementation of a $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate President Donald Trump’s political allies.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is also set to return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday for a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee. The hearing was scheduled for discussion of the Justice Department’s budget, but lawmakers will almost certainly focus their questioning on the settlement fund.
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Rubio sees indications that Iran’s new supreme leader is ‘increasingly engaged’ with US talks
Detailing the fractured Iranian leadership, Rubio says U.S. negotiators have seen signs that Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father to become the country’s new supreme leader, has been engaged with negotiations despite not being seen publicly.
“I would imagine, given what’s happened to multiple leaders in that system, being very public is probably not something that’s recommended for them internally,” he said. “But that said, I think there are indications out there that he is increasingly engaging at some level, although all of his communications have been in writing and through intermediaries.”
Rubio says Iran will not receive sanctions relief for reopening Strait of Hormuz
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy pushed Rubio to see what incentives, if any, Washington is willing to offer Tehran in exchange for a deal.
Rubio said that any sanctions relief would have to come after major concession on the nuclear issue and the enriched uranium.
“Will they receive relief just in exchange for reopening the strait?” Murphy asked.
Rubio responded, “No, that’s not been discussed. That’s not been offered.”
US targeting criteria for alleged drug boats does not include narcotics on boat, Kaine says
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia pressed Rubio on why the U.S. military’s targeting criteria for attacking alleged drug boats in Latin American waters do not include drugs on the boat. Kaine described it as “odd” before adding that he can’t share much more because the targeting criteria are classified.
Rubio pushed back, saying that every strike follow’s a legal officer’s determination on whether a strike is legal or not. Rubio also said that the U.S. military has “walked away from strikes” multiple times because they did not meet the targeting criteria.
The U.S. military has attacked dozens of boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, killing roughly 200 people since early September. The Trump administration says the U.S. is at war with drug cartels, while many Democrats have questioned the legality and effectiveness of the strikes.
Senate Majority Leader says acting DNI Pulte would face ‘lengthy road’ to confirmation
Sen. John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, says he’s trying to get more insight from the White House about the decision to make Bill Pulte the acting Director of National Intelligence.
“I’m trying to get more information about the current state of their thinking about that position,” Thune told reporters Tuesday.
Thune said if the White House wants to nominate the real estate scion and Trump loyalist to that position permanently, he would have “a lengthy road ahead of him.”
Asked if he has concerns about a weaponized DNI position, Thune said “we don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there.”
Democrats blast Trump for picking Pulte as director of national intelligence
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Trump’s decision to tap his housing finance director as acting director of national intelligence, saying Bill Pulte is “a partisan thug with no experience in intelligence.”
Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a lengthy statement that Pulte was picked because Trump “believes he will provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need.” He warned that a pick like this leaves Americans “vulnerable to a terrorist attack.”
Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said “it is critical that Pulte go through a full security clearance process before he walks into the building.”
Pope Leo’s AI manifesto sparks viral reactions: ‘Love my woke pope’
Shortly after Pope Leo XIV issued his sweeping manifesto calling for robust regulation of artificial intelligence, the Instagram meme account Saint Hoax posted this reaction to its more than 3 million followers about the pope’s call to “disarm” AI.
Similar reactions to Leo’s first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), seem driven by a perception among young people that few political or global leaders are taking seriously the ramifications of AI’s rapid rise.
The pontiff reiterates throughout the roughly 42,300-word document that the church must engage in contemporary questions and challenges. For Leo, that has included rebuking certain policies, actions and leaders, including Trump and the ongoing war in Iran. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, invoked the “just war” theory in response. Leo’s encyclical calls this church teaching “outdated.”
“Humanity possesses far more effective and capable tools for promoting human life and resolving conflicts, such as dialogue, diplomacy and forgiveness,” Leo wrote.
Rubio says while US is leading on AI, the technology could ‘destabilize societies all over the world’
In a very sober assessment, the secretary of state was clear-eyed about the innovation that artificial intelligence can have on the U.S. and global economy but also acknowledged that the emerging technology will also cause destruction to certain industries and white-collar jobs.
Those jobs will have to be replaced with new jobs or new skills, he said.
“That’s not just an economic issue. That is a political issue, that over time could destabilize societies all over the world. And so we have to start thinking about AI in those terms, as well,” he said.
Rubio won’t commit to not extending waiver on Russian oil sanctions
Shaheen, the committee’s ranking Democrat, pressed Rubio on whether the U.S. will extend a waiver on Russia oil sanctions. The U.S. has issued extensions for countries to import Russian oil that is already in tankers at sea in order to ease oil shortages caused by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio said the decision will ultimately be made by the U.S. Treasury Department, “but I will tell you, it depends on the circumstances at the time.”
“We would like to end it as soon as we possibly can, because the underlying policy of this country has been to sanction their oil. These are time limited waivers for the purpose of opening up more global supply,” Rubio said.
Rubio to Congress: Iran has ‘agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program’
Pressed by Democrats and Republicans on the status of negotiations with Tehran, Rubio tried to present a more optimistic view on the progress Washington has made with the Iranian regime.
“They have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program that just a month ago, just a year ago, they were refusing to even mention,” he said. But he added that it’s “not a guarantee that ultimately it will lead to a deal that’s acceptable” by Congress. He said these negotiations have been made difficult by the instability of Iran’s leadership.
Israel, Lebanon begin new round of political talks in Washington as fighting surges
U.S. and Israeli officials said the talks between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States began on Tuesday at the State Department, as planned, despite intensified fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has thrown the already fragile ceasefire into new uncertainty.
The two days of talks — the fourth round of such direct discussions — follow a security meeting between the two sides that was held on Friday at the Pentagon.
None of the participants in Tuesday’s meetings spoke as they posed for photos before the talks began.
Shaheen lambasts Rubio for ignoring requests for information on Ukraine, Iran and more
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, lambasted Rubio in her opening remarks. She said his office has refused to provide information requested about the Trump administration’s changing troop posture in Europe as well as U.S. operations in Iran and American support for Ukraine.
“When you do notify Congress, it’s to inform us of decisions you have already made,” she said.
She also focused on the U.S. military’s declining stockpile of advanced weapons used in the Iran war.
Rubio set to testify as Senate committee hearing begins
James E. Risch, the Republican chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, kicked off Tuesday’s hearing, the first for the U.S. secretary of state since the Iran war began.
Risch has praised Rubio’s efforts to reduce illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
Rubio to be defiant on status of US foreign policy in first congressional testimony since Iran war
The former Republican senator is set to defend the Trump administration’s bulldozing of American soft power in his opening statement to senators Tuesday as part of an annual budget request hearing.
“The U.S. government is not a charity. We are not here to play social worker,” Rubio’s prepared remarks say.
The written remarks focus mostly on the Western Hemisphere, with no mention of the ongoing, sprawling U.S. operations in the Middle East.
They call the capturing of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro “one of the most extraordinary feats of lethal precision in military history.”
“We have made it clear to every government in this hemisphere that America can either be their greatest friend or their most feared enemy — the choice is theirs,” he added.
Rubio enters Senate briefing room to chants from protesters
Rubio faced chants from protesters who urged him to “stop killing Cubans” when he entered a Senate briefing room Tuesday.
The protesters were quickly pulled from the room. Their chants also included “Let Cuba live!” as well as, “Repent Marco Rubio. God will forgive you for your sins. Stop killing Cubans.”
Rubio is sitting at a table staring into the lenses of media photographers.
Protesters arrested outside Rubio hearing
A small number of protesters who were lined up outside a Senate briefing room where Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to testify before Congress have been arrested.
The group chanted “Rubio lies. People with AIDS die” as well as “One child dies every 30 mins.”
A small number of other protesters, who were not arrested, have found seats in the back of the room where Rubio is to provide testimony at 10 a.m.
Judges and grand juries have rebuffed Pulte’s accusations against Trump rivals
Pulte has used his perch as FHFA director to make a succession of criminal referrals against political opponents of Trump related to allegations of mortgage fraud.
One such referral centered on New York Attorney Letitia James, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing. A prosecution against her was dismissed in November after a judge concluded that the prosecutor who filed the charges was was illegally appointed. Prosecutors have tried several times since to bring a new case but have been rebuffed by grand juries.
Other referrals made by Pulte, including against Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, have not yielded any criminal charges. Lawyers for both have denied any claims of wrongdoing.
Pulte has raised his profile by attacking Trump’s rivals
Pulte has mainly trained his sights on Trump’s domestic rivals. He targeted Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting the central bank’s benchmark interest rates as aggressively as the president wanted, and led a protracted campaign against New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat who angered Trump by prosecuting him in court.
It’s unclear what national security expertise Pulte has, but the attention-seeking and hyper-online millennial has become a major player in the Trump administration, and a frequent guest on Air Force One as Trump has traveled to Mar-a-Lago, his home and club in Florida.
Pulte is a loyal Trump aide who lacks intelligence agency experience
The position, which involves overseeing and coordinating the country’s 18 intelligence agencies, is one that requires Senate confirmation.
With the appointment, Trump, who has long the nation’s intelligence agencies with suspicion, is foregoing a director with experience in sensitive intelligence and national security matters and is instead selecting a loyal aide who made a career in the homebuilding industry and cultivated a combative social media presence.
Gabbard was seen as an unconventional pick, but she was a former congresswoman who had served in the military.
Trump taps federal housing finance director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence
Trump made the surprise announcement on Truth Social on Tuesday regarding Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chair of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
“William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago,” he wrote.
Trump said Pulte would keep his other positions even as he fills in for Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month after revealing her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
If formally nominated, Pulte would need to be confirmed by the Senate to hold the position full time.
Pulte’s current role involves ensuring the soundness of the mortgage market, but he morphed into a megaphone who went after Trump’s perceived political foes.
EU strikes Trump-like deal for more deportations and detention centers abroad
A vast overhaul of the European Union’s migration policy aims to speed deportations using detention centers outside the 27-nation bloc. Critics compare the regulations agreed-to Monday night to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies.
“The new regulation will speed up the return process and increase returns of persons who have no legal right to stay in the EU,” said Nicholas Ioannides, deputy migration minister for Cyprus, which holds the rotating EU presidency.
Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece are already in talks with third countries, mostly in Africa, to host the “return hubs.” Critics compare them to the secretive Trump administration agreements to deport thousands of people to countries that are not their own.
“The legalization of return hubs outside the European Union, the green light for the detention of minors, home visits inspired by ICE practices: the legal arsenal serving a xenophobic ideology is now complete,” said Mélissa Camara, a French Green party lawmaker.
Jill Biden surprised at Kamala Harris’ critiques of Joe Biden’s 2024 decision
The former first lady said Tuesday she was surprised that the former vice president wrote in her own memo that Joe Biden’s ego and ambition effectively damaged Democrats’ hopes in the 2024 presidential election.
“I was a little surprised she wrote that,” Jill Biden said on MSNOW’s “Morning Joe,” adding that “Joe and Kamala, me, Doug (Emhoff), I thought we were a great team.”
She added that “when Joe got out, he handed over the reins to Kamala” and “had full confidence in her.”
The interview comes as part of Jill Biden’s media tour touting her new memoir of the Bidens’ White House years.
The former first lady said her husband and Harris remain on good terms and that Harris “just called two days ago” to check on how he’s doing.
Former first lady says of Joe Biden’s cancer has been tough
Jill Biden said her 83-year-old husband “gets tired a little more often” since his prostate cancer diagnosis.
“Cancer takes its toll,” she said in an MSNOW interview.
But she noted the former president is “still giving speeches” and “still on Amtrak a couple of times a month, keeping a schedule.”
Biden’s son, Beau Biden, died of an aggressive brain cancer in 2015, when his father was still vice president.
“I know every family in America has been touched by cancer,” Jill Biden said. “So I think people can relate when I say ... it’s been, it’s been tough.”
Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service, appeals court panel rules
A Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service, a divided panel of federal appeals court judges ruled on Monday in another legal setback for President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda.
The majority opinion — by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit — held that the Trump administration’s policy was designed to exclude people from the military based on their gender identity.
The ban remains in effect. The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Pentagon to start enforcing it last year, as litigation continues to play out.
The panel’s new ruling would keep the military from kicking out current service members named in the lawsuit, but wouldn’t allow new transgender recruits to join. The judges put their decision on hold, though, to let the administration seek further review.
What to watch in Tuesday’s primaries as Democrats try to defend California and make inroads in Iowa
For a state that’s home to Hollywood, there isn’t much star power in California’s gubernatorial race. It’s a somewhat different story in Los Angeles, where a reality television personality is running for mayor as the city prepares to host the Olympics.
More primaries are being held on Tuesday as well. Democrats are banking on a rare chance to regain ground in Iowa, a rural state that has repeatedly eluded them in recent years. Republicans, meanwhile, are grappling with a New Jersey congressman whose unexplained absence could put their already slim majority at risk.
▶ Read more about what to watch as voters in California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota cast ballots
