US Secretary of State Marco Rubio faces a rare public questioning starting Tuesday by members of the Senate and House of Representatives, focusing on President Donald Trump's foreign policy, as his fellow Republicans express concern over the ongoing war against Iran.
Rubio, who serves as both Secretary of State and Trump's National Security Advisor, will testify over two days in hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as appropriations subcommittees in both chambers.
The testimony comes as part of the State Department's budget request, with the Trump administration seeking to cut foreign affairs spending by 30% while increasing military spending by 50%.
Lawmakers expressed hope that Rubio would clarify the administration's strategy for ending the conflict with Iran, which erupted after strikes by the United States and Israel on February 28.
Although Rubio and other senior officials have previously discussed the details of the war behind closed doors, these sessions will be his first public testimony on the conflict.
In this context, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy criticized the US administration, stressing the need to end the war regardless of terms at this stage, and pointed to the negative effects of rising gasoline prices on American consumers and businesses, criticizing Trump for easing sanctions on Russian oil in an attempt to control energy prices.
These moves come amid hopes from Trump's Republican colleagues that he can reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lower gasoline prices in the United States before the November elections, which will determine the fate of their slim majority in Congress.
On the other hand, President Trump faces a parallel internal challenge, as he must deal with the pro-war-with-Iran wing within the Republican Party, who categorically oppose making any concessions to Tehran.
