BS BRIEF:
- A House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing turned contentious Wednesday after Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) claimed Secretary of State Marco Rubio had not appeared before Congress to answer questions about the Iran conflict.
- Chairman Brian Mast (R-Fla.) pushed back immediately, reminding Meeks that Rubio testified before the committee in June and suggesting Meeks missed part of that hearing after leaving early. Official committee records show Rubio testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on June 3 and other congressional panels that week.
FIREWORKS ERUPT AS BRIAN MAST FACT-CHECKS DEMOCRAT DURING HEATED IRAN HEARING
A routine hearing on U.S. policy toward Iran quickly devolved into a pointed exchange Wednesday after House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast challenged Ranking Member Gregory Meeks over claims that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had failed to testify before Congress.
The dispute began as Meeks questioned U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz about the administration’s strategy in Iran and argued Congress had not received sufficient answers from senior officials.
“He has not come to Congress. He has not talked about and talked with us on how we end this war,” Meeks said, referring to Rubio.
Waltz immediately disputed the assertion.
“Secretary Rubio has been before Congress,” Waltz replied, noting the secretary had appeared at multiple hearings.
Rubio testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on June 3 during a hearing on the State Department’s fiscal year 2027 budget request. He also appeared before the House Appropriations Subcommittee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the same period. Official committee schedules and attendance records document those appearances.
Meeks responded that Rubio had not adequately answered lawmakers’ questions.
“He has not answered the questions,” Meeks said, adding that he was using the hearing to seek information because “there’s been no oversight in this committee.”
That’s when Mast entered the exchange.
“You may not recall the oversight of Secretary Rubio just about a month ago, because you left halfway through and never came back, so maybe you forgot about it,” Mast said.
As Meeks protested, Mast continued:
“You probably don’t remember because you missed half of it.”
Meeks denied leaving in a way that prevented him from following the proceedings.
“I didn’t miss half of it. I could see it in my office.”
Mast answered:
“I know what you missed. I know you weren’t sitting here next to the rest of us.”
Before moving on, Mast added another pointed remark, thanking Meeks for attending a recent classified briefing.
“I think it might have been the first one you attended.”
Earlier this year, Meeks and other committee Democrats pressed for additional hearings and sought testimony from Rubio and other administration officials regarding the administration’s diplomatic strategy and military objectives.
DBS WIRE SOURCES:
- Mediaite – GOP House Chair Scolds Dem Accusing Rubio of Not Testifying on Iran: ‘Probably Don’t Remember It Because You Missed Half’
- U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee – Department of State FY 2027 Budget Request: A Commitment to America First Foreign Policy hearing
- Rep. Gregory Meeks (official) – House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Meeks Forces Vote to Compel Kushner, Witkoff, Rubio Testimonies
- House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats – Meeks, HFAC Democrats Call on Rubio and Mast for a Briefing on Iran Negotiations
