Marco Rubio told reporters that the global order he once knew is rapidly fading, urging U.S. allies to recognize the changing geopolitical landscape following coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran.
Speaking about the shifting balance of power, Rubio said the international system that shaped decades of diplomacy is no longer the same. According to him, nations must reassess their roles and adapt to a new geopolitical reality.
“The world is changing very fast right in front of us,” Rubio said. “The old world is gone, frankly—the world I grew up in—and we live in a new era of geopolitics.” He emphasized that Western nations must work together to shape the direction of this emerging global order.
Rubio added that similar discussions have already taken place privately with several allied governments as Washington consults with partners about the evolving situation.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that senior congressional leaders were notified before the joint U.S.–Israeli strikes. She said Rubio contacted members of the intelligence leadership group known as the “Gang of Eight” to provide advance notice of the operation.
Leavitt wrote on social media that President Donald Trump monitored developments overnight from his residence at Mar-a-Lago alongside members of his national security team and spoke directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Leavitt, Rubio successfully reached and briefed seven of the eight congressional leaders who typically receive classified intelligence updates. The group includes the top leaders of both parties in the House and Senate as well as the chairs and ranking members of the intelligence committees.
Mike Johnson later confirmed that the group had been briefed earlier in the week regarding the possibility of military action against Iran.
However, the operation sparked criticism from some lawmakers. Representative Thomas Massie argued that launching strikes without congressional authorization raises constitutional concerns about presidential war powers.
As debate intensified, Rubio also announced that the United States had formally designated Iran as a state sponsor of wrongful detention, citing the country’s long history of holding foreign nationals as political leverage and calling for the immediate release of Americans detained there.