Marco Rubio is headed to the Hill as many Republicans split with Trump over the Iran war
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to face tough questions on Capitol Hill this week as Congress threatens to curb President Donald Trump’s war powers, while the administration tries to end the conflict with Iran.
Rubio will testify at four congressional hearings Tuesday and Wednesday on the State Department’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. But the Trump administration is likely to be caught off guard by ongoing talks on ending the war and whether the U.S. military should continue its military campaign against Iran’s armed forces and the country’s nuclear power.
The US and Iran have yet to agree on the terms of an unusual ceasefire. Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and possible sanctions relief emerged as key sticking points in the talks.
President Donald Trump said Monday that he “doesn’t care” if the negotiations are over, in an interview with CNBC.
President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington on May 27, 2026, as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth looks on. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
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“I don’t care if they’re done, honestly,” Trump told the outlet. “If they’re over, they’re over. If they’re not, you know, I think they’re taking too much time. In fact, I thought they were getting pretty boring.”
The president’s comments followed fresh fighting over the weekend that tested a fragile ceasefire since early April. The US military has shown no signs of ending its blockade of Iranian ports while Tehran continues to flex its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio’s Hill appearance comes as the House and Senate could advance legislation this week that would stop US involvement in the war, without congressional approval.
A successful resolution of the war power could be a symbolic blow to the administration given the expected presidential veto and the lack of a veto-proof majority.
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But the president may face political problems as a growing number of Republicans complain about Trump’s handling of the war.
In the House, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Tom Barrett, R-Mich., have joined Democrats in voting to limit the president’s war powers — and other GOP lawmakers may follow suit this week.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on during a dedication ceremony for an annex building at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi on May 23, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AFP)
The Trump administration has repeatedly argued that the 1973 War Powers Resolution requiring oversight of the military agency violates the executive branch.
Aside from the military power debate, Rubio is also likely to face questions about Trump’s acceptance of a deal that prevents dismantling Iran’s nuclear program. The Trump administration has repeatedly said it will not agree to anything that allows Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
Some Republicans with hawkish national security views have warned Trump against agreeing to a deal that would allow Tehran to continue exerting power across the region.
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“Our commander-in-chief needs to allow America’s most capable armed forces to complete the destruction of Iran’s conventional military capabilities and reopen the way,” wrote Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., on social media in late May. “Continuing to pursue a deal with the Islamic State of Iran risks the perception of weakness. We must finish what we started. It is past time to do that.”
Fox News Digital has contacted the State Department for comment.
