Quote · The Rest Is Politics: US
197. Vance Vs Hegseth: Who Takes the Fall for Trump’s Iran Deal?
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Rubio's Radio Silence and the 2028 Positioning Game
At 21:05 · chapter starts 20:55
Rubio's studied silence becomes its own story. Katty Kay and Mark Polymeropoulos have both noticed: the Secretary of State has gone radio silent because he is hoping the Iran deal becomes Vance's political obituary, not his own. Trump made this explicit to Fox's Peter Doocy at the Versailles press conference: if the deal fails, he'll pin it on JD. Scaramucci argues Rubio's only brave move six months ago was resignation — like Senator Cassidy calling this the worst foreign policy blunder in decades — but Rubio won't do brave things. His best play now is to work Susie Wiles for a graceful exit before Trump humiliates him. Katty closes the section with a bleak arithmetic: 13 Americans dead, 500 injured, Iran stronger, $80 billion spent, and now a $300 billion reconstruction bill.
Marco Rubio hasn't said a word about the Iran deal. It's not an accident. He's watching JD Vance become the fall guy in real time, and he wants the distance. The president himself said at the press conference that if the deal fails, he'll pin it on Vance. Rubio read the room before the room was even fully set.
At least 13 Americans died and 500 were injured during the military campaign against Iran that preceded the deal.
Alongside 13 American deaths, 500 US service members were injured during the conflict with Iran that led to the Versailles deal.
