‘I don’t feel more prosperous… I don’t feel more secure’: Senator Shaheen rips into Rubio as Trump’s foreign policy defender faces congressional grilling

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration’s foreign policy approach during a contentious Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday. Rubio, presenting the administration’s 2026 State Department budget, faced sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers who questioned the significant cuts to foreign assistance programs and the closing of the U.S. Agency for International Development. The former Republican senator insisted that despite these changes, the United States is not attempting to “withdraw from the world.”

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the committee’s top Democrat, led the criticism against Rubio’s testimony. The New Hampshire senator accused the administration of wasting millions rather than achieving its promised savings and misleading the public about humanitarian aid delivery. According to The Washington Post, Shaheen directly confronted Rubio, stating, “I don’t feel more prosperous… I don’t feel more secure,” while expressing concern about “American flags coming down around the world.” She further criticized the administration for ceding leverage to Russian President Vladimir Putin in its attempts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine.

In response to the criticism, Rubio acknowledged that “the State Department had to change” while urging his former colleagues to understand that the intent behind these changes was not to dismantle American foreign policy or withdraw from global engagement. To emphasize his point, he noted having visited “18 countries in 18 weeks” and meeting with foreign ministers, including those from Ukraine, more frequently than seeing his own children. Rubio maintained that every sanction against Russia implemented by the previous administration remains in place, countering claims about surrendering leverage.

Rubio’s transformation into Trump’s foreign policy advocate draws attention

Once known as a strong supporter of foreign aid and traditional alliances, Rubio has realigned himself as a loyal advocate for Trump’s more isolationist and transactional foreign policy agenda. He has supported the administration’s tough immigration policies, the rapid dismantling of USAID, substantial cuts to foreign assistance, and the administration’s approach toward Ukraine. Last month, Rubio unveiled a plan to reduce the State Department’s U.S.-based workforce by approximately 15 percent and eliminate or consolidate numerous offices, including several foreign consulates and embassies.

Rubio returned to Washington on Monday after accompanying President Trump on a Middle East trip, which notably did not include a visit to Israel despite it being one of Washington’s closest allies. During this period, he also worked on advancing ceasefire negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. Trump’s friendly overtures to Putin and past hostility toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have caused concern among lawmakers from both parties.

The hearing was briefly interrupted by protesters who accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza and were removed by Capitol Police. As Rubio currently serves as both Secretary of State and acting national security adviser following Trump’s dismissal of Michael Waltz, he likely faced additional questions about his efforts to negotiate deportation agreements with countries like El Salvador and the administration’s vision for Gaza, which Trump has suggested redeveloping after expelling Palestinians.