During a heated House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly refuted allegations that President Donald Trump factored personal financial interests into decisions regarding the recent conflict with Iran. Rubio labeled the claims as ‘completely false’ and asserted that he had never heard the president discuss personal finances in relation to war or foreign policy.
Allegations and Responses
The exchange was initiated by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., who questioned Rubio on whether he had cautioned Trump about potential cost increases for Americans due to military action against Iran and if the president’s stock holdings posed a conflict of interest. Rubio responded, ‘Not once. Just to be clear, not a single time, not even for a millisecond,’ emphasizing his presence in most of Trump’s foreign policy meetings.
Meeks further pressed on the issue, referencing Trump’s financial disclosure, which revealed over 3,600 securities transactions in accounts managed for the president’s benefit during early 2026. Rubio, however, stated, ‘I’m not aware of the president’s stock purchases,’ and dismissed the notion of reviewing Trump’s financial disclosures.
Committee Tensions
The hearing saw heightened tensions as Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., challenged Rubio on various issues, from Trump’s decision-making to alleged corruption involving Venezuela oil contracts. Rubio repeatedly called the accusations ‘false’ and criticized the hearing’s conduct, questioning whether it was a ‘circus’ or a legitimate committee session.
Lieu’s questioning extended to Trump’s cognitive fitness, to which Rubio retorted by referencing a previous ‘cognitively impaired president,’ seemingly alluding to former President Joe Biden. The hearing was marked by interruptions and Rubio’s frustration with the format, as he was often not allowed to fully respond to questions.
Despite the contentious atmosphere, Rubio maintained his stance, defending Trump’s work ethic and dismissing claims of personal financial motivations in foreign policy decisions.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
