Rubio, the CIA director will brief Congress on Iran before Trump’s State of the Union address

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe will brief top congressional leaders on the escalation of tensions in Iran on Tuesday ahead of President Donald Trump’s annual State of the Union address.

Ratcliffe and Rubio, who is also Trump’s national security adviser, will brief the so-called “Gang of Eight,” congressional leadership and top lawmakers on the Intelligence committees, from the White House on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

The closed-door session comes as the administration takes its next steps in the growing tensions with the Islamic Republic. Talks with Iran, where the US is pushing for complete denuclearization and limits on its ballistic missile program, are scheduled to resume on Thursday. White House envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff led talks last week with Iran that did not lead to a concrete agreement.

The White House has made it clear that diplomacy is Trump’s first priority, but the Middle East has seen the largest military buildup in the US in decades: one strike group under the USS Abraham Lincoln is already in the region and another under the USS Gerald R. Ford is headed that way.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to investigate. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X on Tuesday: “Our basic beliefs are clear: Iran will never have a nuclear weapon; we Iranians will not give up our right to use the benefits of peaceful nuclear technology for our people.”

In a message addressed to the American side, he added: “An agreement can be reached, but only if negotiations are prioritized.”

The US has insisted that Iran will not have the capacity to enrich itself with nuclear weapons, even for energy purposes.

Rubio, who is also Trump’s national security adviser, and Ratcliffe, above, will introduce the so-called “Gang of Eight” from the White House on Tuesday at 3 p.m. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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Araghchi said last week that the two sides had reached a “general agreement on several guiding principles” and agreed to start writing the text of a potential agreement, with plans to exchange drafts and organize a third round of talks.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Trump is considering a “limited” strike on Iran aimed at pressuring its leaders to agree to a deal.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Mike Johnson will be briefed by members of the Cabinet, as well as several leaders and leaders of the Intelligence Committees. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters; Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

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Rubio’s divided forum comes at a crucial time — hours before Trump takes the stage for his State of the Union address. The timing suggests that the administration wants congressional leaders fully informed about Iran’s nuclear stance, US intelligence assessments and possible next steps before the president unveils his strategy to the nation.

By meeting with the “Gang of Eight” before the speech, the White House also closed the briefing before Trump spoke. That gives top lawmakers the same isolated context in which the president operates — and makes it difficult for critics to argue that they are blindsided if Trump hints at tougher action, new diplomatic restrictions or a shift in attitude toward Tehran during his speech.

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