WHO Chief Visits Ebola Epicenter in Eastern DRC

The hearings before Senate and House committees focused on the State Department's $36 billion fiscal 2027 budget request, Rubio's first under oath since U.S. strikes began degrading Iran's military in late February 2026. 

He detailed how a U.S. blockade has cost Iran $300-400 million daily in oil revenue, pushing toward mediated talks that have stalled without concessions on the Strait of Hormuz or nuclear curbs. 

Democrats accused the strategy of recklessness and raised concerns over Trump's eight-day absence from public view, while Rubio dismissed health rumors, noting his recent intense work schedule; protests and partisan clashes marked the sessions amid ongoing low-level strikes.