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Secretary of State Marco Rubio forcefully pushed back Wednesday against a Democratic lawmaker’s suggestion that President Donald Trump may have considered personal financial interests when making decisions related to the recent conflict with Iran.
Rubio called the allegation “completely false” and said he has never heard the president discuss his own finances in connection with war or foreign policy.
The exchange came during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, when Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., pressed Rubio about whether he warned Trump that military action against Iran could increase costs for Americans and whether the president’s personal stock holdings created a potential conflict of interest.
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“Not once. Just to be clear, not a single time, not even for a millisecond,” Rubio said. “Has the president ever discussed his personal economics and relations to war or any public policy that he’s made, for that matter? And I’ve been in every one of his foreign policy meetings for the most part.”
Rubio’s remarks came after Meeks questioned whether Trump had been warned that “personal stock purchases and companies profiting from the war that he launched could present a conflict of interest.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio forcefully pushed back Wednesday against a Democratic lawmaker’s suggestion that President Donald Trump may have considered personal financial interests when making decisions related to the recent conflict with Iran. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“I’m not aware of the president’s stock purchases,” Rubio responded. “I don’t deal that. And I don’t even know what you’re saying is true.”
When Meeks asserted that Trump’s financial information was public, Rubio replied, “You say so. I don’t read the president’s financial disclosure, but I don’t believe that.”
Meeks’ line of questioning followed the release of Trump’s annual financial disclosure, which showed more than 3,600 securities transactions executed in investment accounts managed for the president’s benefit during the first quarter of 2026.
The White House could not immediately be reached for comment on Meeks’ line of questioning. Trump representatives have said the accounts are managed by outside financial professionals and that the president does not direct individual trades.
The exchange came during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, when Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., pressed Rubio about whether he warned Trump that military action against Iran could increase costs for Americans and whether the president’s personal stock holdings created a potential conflict of interest. (Alex Wroblewski/AFP/Getty Images)
The hearing also featured a tense back-and-forth after Meeks repeatedly asked whether Rubio warned Trump that the conflict could drive up costs for gas, food, travel and shipping.
Rubio declined to provide a direct yes-or-no answer, telling the congressman, “I don’t do yes or no answers.”
As Meeks continued pressing him, Rubio responded, “You’re running out your five minutes. Did you? I don’t do yes or no. Quiet. You want to ask me a question? I’ll answer.”
Meeks did not cite a specific stock purchase or financial transaction connected to the U.S. operation against Iran during the hearing.
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As Democratic lawmakers repeatedly challenged Rubio throughout the hearing on issues ranging from Trump’s finances and decision-making to broader allegations of corruption within the administration, the secretary grew increasingly frustrated with the tenor of the proceedings.
“Is this the Foreign Affairs Committee, or is this like a circus? What is this?” Rubio asked during one exchange.
At another point, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., showed videos he argued depicted Trump falling asleep during meetings and accused Rubio of misleading Congress when he denied it.
“I’ve never seen him fall asleep,” Rubio responded, later defending Trump’s work habits by saying the president “literally doesn’t sleep” and “works day and night, long hours every single day.”
Lieu also questioned Trump’s cognitive fitness, prompting Rubio to fire back that “we had a cognitively impaired president in office a few years ago,” an apparent reference to former President Joe Biden.
Later in the hearing, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., accused the administration of a lack of transparency surrounding Venezuela oil contracts and alleged corruption involving Trump allies. Rubio called the accusations “false” and “defamatory” and repeatedly complained that lawmakers were not allowing him to answer questions before reclaiming their time.
“What kind of thing is this? What is this? You know, you get asked questions for five minutes and you don’t get time to answer. It’s not a hearing,” Rubio said.
As the exchange continued, Rubio added, “Is this a dunk tank what is this?”
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Rubio made the earlier “circus” remark during a separate exchange with Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., in which the congresswoman criticized his handling of the administration’s foreign policy and referenced a pair of shoes Trump had allegedly given him. Rubio responded that the shoes fit fine before expressing disbelief that the committee was discussing footwear.
“Are you guys kidding me?” Rubio said.