Secretary of State Marco Rubio has once again tried to clean up the increasingly muddled messaging about the Iran war as his department scrambles to help countless Americans now stranded in the region.
Rubio, whose public comments have at times appeared contradictory to Donald Trump’s, faced renewed questions on Tuesday about the rationale behind the U.S. military campaign and the lack of a clear strategic objective.
“This is my press conference,” he clapped back at one point after reporters on Capitol Hill tried to get clarity about the administration’s objectives.
“Let me explain to you guys in simple English, okay?” he added. “Iran is run by lunatics.”
The exchange took place after Rubio made a jaw-dropping admission on Monday: the U.S. struck Iran because Israel was planning to strike first, and Washington feared Tehran would retaliate against American forces.
But asked on Tuesday if Israel forced his hand, Trump rejected this explanation outright, telling reporters in the Oval Office: “No. I might have forced their hand.”
Asked to explain this a few hours later, a defensive Rubio said: “I was asked a very specific question, so you guys can misrepresent, but I was asked a very specific question yesterday.
“The bottom line is this: we, the president, determined we were not going to get hit first. It’s that simple, guys, we are not going to put American troops in harm’s way.”
American troops have indeed been in harm’s way, with six service members killed since the strikes began overnight on Saturday.
With tensions escalating in the region, including a strike against the U.S. consulate in Dubai that appears to have come from an Iranian drone, the State Department and the White House are now scrambling to get people out of the region.
It is estimated that between 500,000 and one million Americans are based in the Middle East. But much of the region’s airspace has been closed amid fears of retaliation and escalating military exchanges. Commercial flights are grounded, and evacuation options remain limited.
But while Rubio posted a video Tuesday morning telling stranded Americans they could call a State Department hotline for assistance, many callers often got a message that no guaranteed travel assistance was available.
“Please do not rely on the U.S. government for assisted departure or evacuation. At this time, there are currently no United States evacuation points,” the State Department’s automated message said when the Daily Beast called on Tuesday afternoon.
Speaking on Capitol Hill before briefing lawmakers, Rubio said there were “a little over 1500, maybe closer to 1600 Americans, requesting assistance.”
“And we know that we’re going to be able to help them, but it’s going to take a little time, because we don’t control the airspace closures,” he said.
“That said, there may be more people out there that need help. We need to know who you are. So please, I’m asking the media: publicize the phone numbers and the website, because we need people to call in, so we have their name, we have their contact information, we have their location and their request, so as he’s so Iraq with.”
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