Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) fumed at Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting, accusing the White House of putting Tehran in a position of geopolitical strength.
The New Jersey senator, who has been linked to a possible 2028 presidential bid, told Rubio that President Donald Trump’s failure to end the conflict that began in February swiftly has left the Iranian regime in a “stronger negotiating position” than ever. He specifically pointed to Tehran’s ability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, which has resulted in a surge in energy prices around the world since transit was stopped in March.
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“We are the strongest nation on the planet Earth, and we’re in a stalemate with Iran,” Booker said. “And now we’re begging to get back into a deal that you all dragged back in the first place.”
“There’s no one begging,” Rubio shot back. “No one’s begging for anything here. The Iranians might be begging, because their economy is losing hundreds of millions of dollars a day.”
The secretary of state contended that Iran has suffered the harshest economic consequences from the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, having been plagued by popular uprisings before the United States launched Operation Epic Fury.
“All of those factors, economic factors in Iran, are far worse today than they were six months ago, when those protests were happening,” he told Booker.
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“They have hyperinflation. Their currency is completely devalued. They’re struggling to make payroll for their government workers,” he continued. “And if it was up to the political class there, and I understand everybody there is sort of radical in some way, but if it was up to the people that actually like go to elections and wear the suits and you see on TV, they probably make a deal tomorrow.”
Earlier in the committee hearing, Rubio indicated his belief that the Iranian government is being prevented from striking a deal with the U.S. by its supreme leader and religious authorities.
