Vice President JD Vance had flown to Pakistan for negotiations with the Iranians, a sign that the two sides had narrowed their differences and the White House might be poised to announce a breakthrough. As the marathon April meeting unfolded, though, U.S. negotiators began to worry: It looked like the Iranians were changing the terms of a potential deal. So, during a pause, they phoned Secretary of State Marco Rubio to get a “steer” on what they should do next, an administration official with direct knowledge of the matter said in an interview.
Rubio agreed that they couldn’t accept Iran’s offer, the official said. Rubio isn’t the face of the Iran negotiations. He’s kept a discreet public distance as the unpopular war grinds on.
Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and the president’s longtime friend and special envoy Steve Witkoff are the main protagonists in the push to end both the Iran and Russia-Ukraine conflicts. The arrangement is an unusual one. Past secretaries of state commanded the spotlight when it came to war and peace.
Henry Kissinger won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 for negotiating a ceasefire in the Vietnam War during the Nixon administration. John Kerry, in the Obama administration, flew back and forth between Washington and the Middle East as he tried in vain to broker a peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians. Still, Rubio has been a hidden hand throughout, helping craft the Trump administration’s strategy while privately advising the officials who play a more public role in the peace talks.
He holds a unique place in the Cabinet, one of the most expansive in the modern presidency. Rubio doubles as national security adviser — first in an acting capacity, now permanent — meaning he has a spacious office in the West Wing and gets more face time with Trump than most Cabinet members. This account is based on interviews with 12 present and former administration officials and others close to Rubio and the White House.
Many spoke on condition of anonymity to talk freely about internal policy and political dynamics. So, Secretary Rubio is leading the other efforts around the world that are so important to America’s stability and future promise.” Trump has given Rubio wide latitude, allowing America’s top diplomat to be selective when it comes to the public parts of the job. Rubio was more visible in the early phase of the Iran war than in the later stages.
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