The talks to end the Iran war had hit a snag.
asserted
talks → end → snag
Vice President JD Vance had flown to Pakistan for negotiations with the Iranians, a sign that the two sides had narrowed their differences and the White House might be poised to announce a breakthrough.
uncertain
House → fly → breakthrough
As the marathon April meeting unfolded, though, U.S. negotiators began to worry: It looked like the Iranians were changing the terms of a potential deal.
asserted
Iranians → unfold → deal
So, during a pause, they phoned Secretary of State Marco Rubio to get a “steer” on what they should do next, an administration official with direct knowledge of the matter said in an interview.
asserted
official → phone → interview
Rubio agreed that they couldn’t accept Iran’s offer, the official said.
asserted
official → agree → offer
He’s kept a discreet public distance as the unpopular war grinds on.
asserted
war → keep → distance
Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and the president’s longtime friend and special envoy Steve Witkoff are the main protagonists in the push to end both the Iran and Russia-Ukraine conflicts.
asserted
Kushner → end → conflicts
Past secretaries of state commanded the spotlight when it came to war and peace.
asserted
it → command → war
Henry Kissinger won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 for negotiating a ceasefire in the Vietnam War during the Nixon administration.
asserted
Kissinger → win → administration
John Kerry, in the Obama administration, flew back and forth between Washington and the Middle East as he tried in vain to broker a peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians.
asserted
he → fly → Israelis
Still, Rubio has been a hidden hand throughout, helping craft the Trump administration’s strategy while privately advising the officials who play a more public role in the peace talks.
asserted
who → help → talks
He holds a unique place in the Cabinet, one of the most expansive in the modern presidency.
asserted
He → hold → presidency
Rubio doubles as national security adviser — first in an acting capacity, now permanent — meaning he has a spacious office in the West Wing and gets more face time with Trump than most Cabinet members.
asserted
he → double → members
This account is based on interviews with 12 present and former administration officials and others close to Rubio and the White House.
asserted
account → base → Rubio
Many spoke on condition of anonymity to talk freely about internal policy and political dynamics.
asserted
Many → speak → policy
“The reason that the American people perhaps don’t see Secretary Rubio as front and center on Iran is because he really does have the rest of the world to worry about and pays enormous attention to the Western Hemisphere and our European allies,” White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told NBC News.
asserted
Wiles → see → News
“President Trump is so busy and active around the world, it takes more than one person.
asserted
it → take → person
So, Secretary Rubio is leading the other efforts around the world that are so important to America’s stability and future promise.
asserted
that → lead → stability
Trump has given Rubio wide latitude, allowing America’s top diplomat to be selective when it comes to the public parts of the job.
asserted
it → give → job
That could prove advantageous down the road.
uncertain
That → prove → road
Polls show widespread American disenchantment with the conflict.
asserted
Polls → show → conflict
As public opinion hardens, Rubio may be better positioned to sidestep any political backlash than Vance, who has attended futile rounds of peace talks in far-flung locales.
uncertain
who → harden → locales
Rubio has said publicly that he currently has no plans to run in 2028, and two people familiar with the matter have told NBC News he has also said that privately.
asserted
he → say → that
He has acknowledged behind closed doors that the landscape may be tough for Republicans in 2028 and suggested that a presidential run in 2032 or 2036 may be more promising, a person close to him said.
uncertain
person → acknowledge → him
But Rubio’s comments don’t close the door completely.
asserted
comments → close → door
A second person close to him said that he has not ruled out a potential 2028 presidential run, but he is not discussing his future plans.
asserted
he → say → plans
“Nobody knows what he’s going to do,” the source said.
asserted
source → know → what
“Political calculation does not factor into literally anything that he’s doing right now.”
asserted
he → factor → that
Rubio has also said privately that after nearly three decades in public office he may want to take a job in the private sector when Trump’s term ends, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News.
uncertain
people → say → News
His financial disclosure form shows his net worth to be no more than $240,000 apart from his house, listed in a range between $1 million and $5 million.
asserted
worth → show → million
Those are modest sums in an administration packed with officials worth $100 million or more.
asserted
Those → pack → officials
Rubio could readily land a lucrative job that would be a boon to himself, his wife and their four children if he sat out the race, and at 55, he is young enough to mount a campaign later on.
uncertain
he → land → campaign
Rubio may be in and out of the Oval Office five or six times a day, a White House official told NBC News.
uncertain
official → tell → News
Both love sports, and they’ve been overheard jawing about baseball batting averages or a knockout punch in the latest mixed martial arts match, the official said.
asserted
official → love → match
Olivia Wales, a White House spokesperson, said in a prepared statement: “As President Trump says, Marco Rubio will go down as one of the greatest Secretaries of State in history.
asserted
Rubio → say → history
The president and Secretary Rubio have successfully restored American dominance on the world stage and are relentlessly working to advance our foreign policy interests.”
asserted
president → restore → interests
After spending 14 years in the Senate, Rubio grasps the politics and legislative tactics needed to pass bills into law and will advise the president on ways to push his agenda through Congress, the official said.
asserted
official → spend → Congress
“I can think of many times in which we’re talking about whatever he [Trump] is focused on that day and he’ll say, ‘What do you think, Marco?’
asserted
you → think → What
I’ve heard that more times than I can count,” a person close to the White House said.
asserted
person → hear → House
“They jell well together.
asserted
They → jell → ?
…and 37 more, not listed.
The Aporia
