Cuba regime change, Iran faltering: 5 takeaways from Rubio’s testimony to Congress

Rubio, with his trademark assurance, fielded questions on Venezuela, Iran, Greenland, and much more. The appearance came at a pivotal moment for President Donald Trump’s foreign policy agenda, which has dominated headlines since he returned to the White House.

Here are five top takeaways from Rubio’s hearing:

Rubio defends Maduro’s capture

Rubio, anticipating that the committee would be interested in the administration’s strategy for Venezuela, opened the hearing by speaking off the cuff as to what comes next after the Jan. 3 capture of former dictator Nicolas Maduro.

Rubio remained adamant that the administration has a three-phase approach to a “friendly, stable, and prosperous” Venezuela, which starts with the country’s stabilization before pivoting to its “recovery.”

“It was an enormous strategic risk for the United