Rubio defends Iran war as necessary despite unpopularity

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Donald Trump's eight-month war against Iran on Sunday, calling it necessary to prevent a nuclear threat despite acknowledging it is not "necessarily popular" following Republican election losses. Rubio's comments came as Democrats seized control of Congress in Tuesday's elections, with voters blaming the war for higher gasoline prices and economic strain from disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. He declined to directly address the Republican wipeout but said Trump "identified a very real threat" in Iran's nuclear ambitions. Rubio's stance diverged from Vice President JD Vance, who largely blamed the war for Republican losses. Trump praised Rubio as a potential 2028 candidate while insisting the war was historically justified, and Rubio said diplomatic talks with Iran are not near a breakthrough despite Qatari mediation efforts.