Rubio says Trump's war against Iran not 'necessarily popular' but needed
to stop a nuclear threat
[November 09, 2026]
By MATTHEW LEE and MICHELLE L. PRICE
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio
said Sunday that President Donald Trump launched the war against Iran
even if it was not “necessarily popular” to safeguard the world from the
country's nuclear ambitions.
He would not comment directly about the Republican wipeout in Tuesday’s
elections, which delivered a resounding rebuke to Trump. The
unpopularity of the Iran war and its impact on gasoline prices and other
parts of the economy helped Democrats seize control of Congress.
Asked about Vice President JD Vance’s social media post last week that
largely blamed the war for the Republican losses, Rubio told reporters
that Trump “identified a very real threat” in Iran and worked to stop
the Islamic Republic from pursuing a nuclear weapon.
“He addressed it even though oftentimes the right thing to do for the
country — confronting difficult challenges for the security of our
country — doing it isn’t necessarily popular, but necessary,” Rubio said
in Florida before heading to a Group of 7 foreign ministers meeting in
Paris.
America's top diplomat offered a robust defense of the more than
eight-month-old war even as voters blamed Trump’s policies for the hit
to their pocketbooks, including higher energy prices that stemmed from
disruptions to shipments in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway
where one-fifth of the world's oil transited before the war.
Rubio and Vance offer differing comments on the war
Rubio's comments also put him at odds with Vance, who are both
considered possible 2028 contenders. Asked in a “60 Minutes” interview
that aired Sunday about potential candidates other than Vance, Trump
named Rubio, saying that “I think Marco’s great" but noting there was a
“tremendous bench” in his Republican Party and that “maybe I’m better
off not getting involved.”
Trump told reporters Sunday that Vance was right about the war's impact
on the election — other than that his vice president should have also
insisted it was the correct choice to go to war.
“I can tell you if I had it to do again, this historically — for history
— will go down as one of the best things we ever did," Trump said.
"Because if they ever had a nuclear weapon, they would blow up the
world."
Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful. According
to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has 440.9 kilograms (972
pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical
step from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Asked on “60 Minutes” whether he would escalate the war following the
elections, Trump said, "Well I’m not looking to. I don’t think there’s
any reason to.”
Rubio says Iran talks aren't on the ‘verge of a breakthrough’
With no clear administration strategy to wind down the conflict and the
Middle East on edge over the possibility of a return to major
hostilities, mediators are trying to revive talks between the sides.
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United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press
before departing for France from Homestead Air Reserve Base in
Homestead, Florida, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. Rubio is traveling for the
G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool photo via
AP)
Rubio said, “I wouldn’t say we’re at the verge of a breakthrough.”
He reiterated that Trump prefers a diplomatic solution, but “right
now, it hasn’t been very productive because the Iranian demands are
simply not just unacceptable, but in some cases outrageous and
ridiculous and really not realistic.”
Trump is set to meet Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin
Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House on Monday, according to his
official schedule.
The Associated Press has reported that Iran was reviewing proposals
presented by chief mediator Qatar aimed at addressing differences
with the United States about Tehran’s nuclear program. But Iran was
seen as unwilling to negotiate with the Trump administration over
their atomic activities until the U.S. agrees to several core
conditions that Tehran has been demanding be part of any ceasefire
agreement, officials have said.
Those include ending the U.S. blockade on Iran’s ports, lifting
sanctions, unfreezing its assets, issuing compensation for war
damage and ending hostilities throughout the region, including
Israeli operations in Lebanon.
While Rubio said there was no diplomatic breakthrough at hand, Trump
told CNN in a phone interview Sunday that as long as the U.S. sees
progress in negotiations with Tehran and they sign a “strong
agreement,” it’s “highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary” to
resume strikes.
Trump said, however, that the U.S. had identified infrastructure
targets, including 38 bridges, that it would strike if military
action resumes.
The U.S. military, meanwhile, still has carried out limited strikes
on Iran, including against its air defenses, at least twice over the
past week. It also fired on and disabled a commercial ship Saturday
that the U.S. says was trying to breach its naval blockade on
Iranian ports.
Rubio acknowledged that the U.S. will take defensive actions if
needed.
“If there’s a clear and present threat to shipping or to our forces
in the region, we have a right to defend ourselves,” Rubio said.
___
Price reported from West Palm Beach, Fla.
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