Washington Today Sec. Rubio says State Dept is helping evacuate Americans from Middle East; Pres. Trump says Iran was going to attack first; DHS Sec. Noem testifies before Senate Cmte.
Mar 4, 2026
Kristi Noem, Homeland Security chief defending DHS actions before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Donald Trump, U.S. president framing recent strikes on Iran as preemptive. They discuss State Department evacuations, alleged imminent Iranian threats, congressional War Powers votes, DHS funding and oversight, and contentious testimony about protest-related killings. The conversation jumps between foreign policy, national security, and domestic accountability.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
State Department Coordinated Evacuations
- Marco Rubio said the State Department has facilitated departures and identified charter, military and expanded commercial flights to evacuate about 9,000 Americans from the Middle East.
- He urged Americans to register via STEP and two phone numbers so the department can call them when transport options open, noting airspace closures sometimes force planes to turn back.
Trump Frames Strikes As Preemption
- President Donald J. Trump defended launching strikes on Iran as preemption, saying he believed Iran 'was going to attack first' and that action prevented greater bloodshed.
- He framed the strikes as destroying Iran's ballistic missile and detection capabilities, claiming 'virtually everything they have has been knocked out.'
Congress Demands War Powers Review
- Hakeem Jeffries said classified briefings failed to show evidence of an imminent Iranian attack and called the administration's preemptive war rationale unsupported.
- He urged Congress to pass a War Powers Resolution to require authorization for continued hostilities, stressing constitutional responsibility.