Rubio Defends Trump’s Iran War, Says Military Action Was Necessary to Stop Nuclear Threat

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended President Donald Trump’s ongoing war against Iran, arguing that the military campaign was necessary to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, despite its unpopularity among sections of the American public.

Rubio made the remarks on Sunday, November 8, while speaking to journalists at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida before departing for Paris to attend a Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers’ meeting.

He said Trump had identified what he described as a genuine threat posed by Iran and took action to prevent the country from pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities.

According to Rubio, decisions taken in the interest of national security are not always popular but may still be necessary.

He was responding to questions about Vice President JD Vance’s recent social media comments, which largely attributed the Republican Party’s poor performance in the November midterm elections to the war against Iran.

The conflict, which has lasted more than eight months, has become a major political and economic challenge for the Trump administration, with rising energy prices and disruptions to international shipping contributing to public dissatisfaction.

The war has also affected commercial activity around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passed before the conflict.

The resulting economic pressures have intensified criticism of the administration, while Democrats secured control of Congress following the Republican Party’s significant electoral setbacks.

Rubio, however, maintained that Trump’s decision should be judged against the security threat he believed Iran posed rather than its immediate political consequences.

President Trump also defended the military campaign on Sunday, insisting that he did not regret ordering the operation against Iran.

He argued that allowing Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons would pose a serious danger to global security, describing the military action as one of the best decisions the United States had made.

Despite defending the war, Rubio acknowledged that diplomatic efforts to end the conflict had made little progress.

He said negotiations with Iran were not close to producing a breakthrough, describing some of Tehran’s demands as unacceptable and unrealistic.

Iran has reportedly made several conditions for a ceasefire, including an end to the US blockade of its ports, the lifting of sanctions, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, compensation for war damage and an end to hostilities across the region, including Israeli operations in Lebanon.

Qatar has been leading mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran, with Iranian officials reviewing proposals intended to address disagreements between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Trump indicated that he was not currently seeking to escalate the conflict, saying a resumption of military strikes could become unnecessary if negotiations produced a strong agreement.

However, he warned that American forces had identified potential infrastructure targets, including 38 bridges, should military operations resume.

The US military has continued limited operations against Iranian targets, including air defence installations, while Washington maintains its naval blockade.

Rubio said the United States would continue to defend its forces and international shipping if faced with what he described as a clear and present threat.

The conflicting positions within the Trump administration over the political consequences of the war have also drawn attention to the growing differences between Rubio and Vance, both of whom are considered potential contenders in the 2028 presidential race.