WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the nation’s response to Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi assaults on delivery, the revocation of visas for pro-Hamas activists, and the necessity to revitalize American business.
Throughout an interview with CBS host Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation, Rubio pointed to the Houthis, a overseas terrorist group, who he stated during the last 18 months, have attacked 174 U.S. Navy vessels and have attacked industrial delivery 145 instances.
“So we mainly have a band of pirates with guided precision, anti-ship weaponry, and exacting a toll system, and one of the vital essential delivery lanes on this planet, that’s simply not sustainable,” Rubio stated. “We aren’t going to have these folks controlling which ships can undergo and which of them can’t.”
President Donald Trump licensed large-scale army strikes in opposition to the Houthis on Saturday in response to assaults on Crimson Sea delivery, which Rubio referred to as a “favor” to the world and stated the mission will proceed till the group is stopped.
“That by no means occurred earlier than, the Biden administration didn’t try this, all of the Biden administration would do is they might reply to an assault,” Rubio stated. “These guys would launch one rocket, we’d hit the rocket launcher, that’s it. That is an effort to remove their skill to manage international delivery in that a part of the world. That’s simply not going to occur anymore. And it might proceed till that’s completed.”
Within the final 18 months, the Houthis have attacked the U.S. Navy 174 instances and attacked industrial delivery 145 instances, says @SecRubio.
“We now have a band of pirates with guided precision anti-ship weaponry exacting a toll system in one of the vital essential delivery lanes within the… pic.twitter.com/73N5CBxqsl
— Fast Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 16, 2025
The secretary of state additionally pointed to commerce and industrialization, saying “now we have to de-industrialize” the U.S.
On the subject of tariffs, he stated he understands why international locations “don’t prefer it—as a result of the established order of commerce is sweet for them.”
“It advantages them. We’re going to set a brand new established order,” Rubio stated. “We now have de-industrialized the US of America. There are issues we will now not make.”
Rubio additionally addressed the difficulty of visa revocations for people collaborating in pro-Hamas occasions within the U.S.
“Whenever you apply to enter the US and also you get a visa, you’re a visitor […] And in it, it’s important to make sure assertions,” Rubio stated. “And should you inform us, whenever you apply for a visa, ‘I’m coming to the U.S. to take part in pro-Hamas occasions,’ that runs counter to the overseas coverage pursuits of the US of America.”
“So that you lied,” he stated. “For those who had advised us that you just had been going to do this, we by no means would have given you the visa. Now you’re right here. Now you do it. You lied to us. You’re out. It’s that easy.”
.@SecRubio: “Whenever you apply to enter the US and also you get a visa, you’re a visitor… For those who inform us whenever you apply for a visa ‘I’m coming to the U.S. to take part in pro-Hamas occasions,’ that runs counter to the overseas coverage curiosity of the US… For those who had… pic.twitter.com/dxIXzKQ55D
— Fast Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 16, 2025
Rubio defended the revocation of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who helped lead Columbia College’s 2024 pupil pro-Palestine protests, and is being detained by federal immigration authorities.
Brennan requested Rubio if there’s any proof of a hyperlink to terrorism by Khalil or if it nearly Khalil’s perspective.
“You must watch the information,” Rubio responded. “These guys take over whole buildings, they shut down faculties. We don’t want these folks in our nation.”
