U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the global order he grew up in has fundamentally changed, following recent joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Rubio stated that the world is rapidly entering a new geopolitical era and that American allies must recognize the shift and work with Washington to shape the future of the Western alliance.
“The world is changing very fast right in front of us,” Rubio said. “The old world is gone, frankly, the world I grew up in, and we live in a new era of geopolitics.” He added that the United States has already been holding private discussions with its allies about how to adapt to this changing environment and that those conversations will continue. Meanwhile, the White House confirmed that senior congressional leaders were notified ahead of the military operation. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Rubio contacted members of the so-called “Gang of Eight,” a group of top congressional leaders and intelligence committee members, before the strikes took place. According to Leavitt, Rubio successfully briefed seven of the eight members prior to the attacks.
Leavitt also said President Donald Trump monitored the situation overnight from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida alongside members of his national security team. Trump also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone. The White House indicated that the president and his team would continue closely monitoring developments. The briefing of congressional leaders comes amid criticism from some lawmakers who argue that military action against Iran requires formal authorization from Congress. Representative Thomas Massie called the strikes “acts of war unauthorized by Congress.” Massie and Representative Ro Khanna had been planning to push for a vote aimed at limiting the president’s ability to launch strikes on Iran without congressional approval. Separately, Rubio announced that Iran has been designated a state sponsor of wrongful detention, accusing the Iranian government of detaining Americans and other foreign nationals to gain political leverage.
