Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that we can achieve all of our objectives without any ground troops, even as more troops are being deployed. It’s just an option, so we are always prepared, Rubio said.
Rubio spoke to reporters before returning to the U.S. after he discussed with G7 foreign ministers in France the conflict launched by the U.S. and Israel late last month.
Rubio said the U.S. was achieving its objectives in the war, which he said were destroying Iran’s missile and drone capabilities and factories to produce those weapons, as well as its navy and its air force, and expected to conclude its operation in “weeks, not months.”
“We are ahead of schedule on most of them, and we can achieve them without any ground troops, without any,” Rubio said.
Rubio said recent deployments of thousands more troops to the region were intended to give President Donald Trump options to respond to contingencies in the conflict, but declined to go into operational details.
“In terms of why there’s deployments, number one, the president has to be prepared for multiple contingencies… We are always going to be prepared to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust the contingencies should they emerge,” he said.
Rubio also said Iran may set up a toll system for the Strait of Hormuz and insisted that European and Asian countries that benefit from trade through the strait should contribute to securing free passage once the conflict ends.
Marco Rubio on Iran:
We can achieve all of our objectives without any ground troops. pic.twitter.com/fHAhdr4Z7x
— The Daily News (@DailyNewsJustIn) March 27, 2026
Sec. Marco Rubio:
“What I’m talking about is not the people of Iran. The people that run this country are RADICAL, SHIA CLERICS. These are religious FANATICS. Look what they are doing now at their WEAKEST point!”
“This is the weakest Iran has ever been, and look at what they’re… pic.twitter.com/CT4CiTNecn
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 26, 2026