Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered one of his bluntest defenses yet of President Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran Tuesday, sharply rejecting criticism and describing the regime as ‘lunatics’ as he argued the president acted at the right moment to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

‘Let me explain to you guys this in simple English, okay? Iran is run by lunatics, religious fanatic lunatics,’ Rubio told reporters.

‘They have an ambition to have nuclear weapons,’ Rubio said. ‘This is the weakest they’ve ever been. Now is the time to go after them.’

Rubio said Trump made the ‘right decision’ to dismantle Iran’s military capabilities before they could shield a nuclear program.

‘The president made the decision to go after them, take away their missiles, take away their navy, take away their drones … so that they can never have a nuclear weapon,’ Rubio said.

He acknowledged ‘there will be a price to pay,’ but argued it would be far lower than allowing Iran to become nuclear-armed.

‘That is a much lower price to pay than having a nuclear armed Iran,’ he said.

Rubio grew visibly sharper when pressed on whether Israel dictated the timing of the operation.

‘Your statement is false,’ he told one reporter who suggested the U.S. acted because Israel was about to strike.

Rubio confirmed Monday that Israel was prepared to act independently.

‘We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces,’ Rubio said. ‘And we knew that if we didn’t preemptively go after them … we would suffer higher casualties.’

He emphasized Tuesday that the decision ultimately rested with President Donald Trump.

‘The president determined we were not going to get hit first,’ Rubio said. ‘If you tell the president of the United States that if we don’t go first, we’re going to have more people killed and more people injured, the president is going to go first.’

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said after a classified briefing that Israel was ‘determined to act … with or without American support,’ and that U.S. officials concluded ‘a coordinated response was necessary.’

‘I am convinced that they did the right thing,’ Johnson said.

Despite Rubio’s harsh rhetoric toward Iran’s clerical leadership, administration officials have emphasized that the mission is not aimed at overthrowing the regime but at dismantling its military capabilities.

Rubio repeatedly framed the operation as focused on destroying Iran’s ballistic missiles, launchers, drone capabilities and naval assets.

‘Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,’ he said. ‘It cannot have the things it was hiding behind to have a nuclear weapons program.’

So far, U.S. and Israeli strikes largely have targeted missile infrastructure and military facilities. Officials have not indicated that nuclear enrichment sites have been the primary focus of the campaign.

Some Democrats questioned whether the administration demonstrated an imminent threat to the United States.

‘There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians. It was a threat to Israel,’ Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said after the briefing. ‘We equate a threat to Israel is the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States. Then we are in uncharted territory.’

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said after the classified briefing, ‘I have no idea what the objective is, and I didn’t get any additional clarity.’

Rubio brushed aside the criticism, predicting opponents would emerge from briefings claiming they ‘didn’t hear anything’ while insisting the administration complied with congressional notification requirements.

‘This is an action by the president to address a real threat,’ Rubio said. ‘The world will be a safer place when these radical clerics no longer have access to these weapons.’

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Iran postponed a planned farewell ceremony in Tehran for its late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed Saturday in U.S.-Israeli strikes as part of Operation Epic Fury.

The three-day program was scheduled to begin Wednesday at 10 p.m. local time at Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall, where large crowds were expected to gather to pay their respects, according to Tasnim, a semi-official Iranian news agency. 

Hojjatoleslam Seyed Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of the Islamic Propaganda Coordination Council of Tehran Province, said the postponement followed widespread requests to participate and the need to provide adequate infrastructure and facilities to accommodate attendees.

‘It was decided to hold the ceremony at a more appropriate time,’ he explained.

No additional reason for the postponement was given, and it was not immediately clear when the ceremony would be rescheduled.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Iranian leadership in a post on X that any successor who tries to ‘destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people’ will be an ‘unequivocal target for elimination.’

‘It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides,’ Katz said.

The funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, drew massive crowds in the country’s capital on June 11, 1989, with an estimated 10.2 million people in attendance, roughly one-sixth of the nation’s population at the time. 

According to Guinness World Records, it drew the largest percentage of a population ever recorded at a funeral.

Khamenei’s death triggers a closely watched succession process overseen by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible for appointing the supreme leader.

‘The IRGC is a key stakeholder in this process, and will heavily influence its outcome,’ Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, told Fox News Digital.

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Turkey’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that a ballistic missile launched from Iran towards its airspace was intercepted by NATO defense systems, marking a first in the conflict with Iran. A senior NATO military official confirmed to Fox News Digital that the alliance conducted the interception.

Turkey’s Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran said that the missile was detected after it crossed into Iraqi and Syrian airspace before it was intercepted by NATO units in the eastern Mediterranean.

‘Turkey’s resolve and capacity to ensure the security of our country and our esteemed nation remain at the highest level. All necessary steps to defend Turkish territory and airspace will be taken without hesitation,’ Duran said in a statement posted on X, adding that the country’s response to ‘any potential hostile acts’ would be in accordance with international law.

‘We reiterate our warning to all parties to refrain from steps that could escalate tensions in the region and lead to the spread of the conflict to a wider area. It is of great importance that all parties act with a sense of responsibility,’ Duran added.

Turkey’s Defense Ministry issued a similar warning, saying that ‘Every step taken to defend our territory and airspace will be taken resolutely and without hesitation.’ 

‘We remind all parties that we reserve the right to respond to any hostile actions against our country,’ it said.

Turkish ⁠foreign minister Hakan Fidan reportedly spoke with Abbas Araghchi after the incident and conveyed his displeasure, according to Reuters, which cited a Turkish diplomatic source.

A NATO spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the alliance condemned the incident and affirmed that it stood by Turkey.

‘We condemn Iran’s targeting of Turkey. NATO stands firmly with all allies, including Turkey, as Iran continues its indiscriminate attacks across the region. Our deterrence and defense posture remains strong across all domains, including when it comes to air and missile defense,’ a NATO spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

NATO has parts of a broader European ballistic missile defense system on Turkish soil, including an early-warning radar at the Kurecik base that can detect missiles from Iran.

Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, Iran has carried out a series of retaliatory attacks against U.S.-allied countries in the region. Turkey is the first NATO ally to have an Iranian missile encroach upon its airspace. On March 1, an Iranian retaliatory attack killed six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers supporting Operation Epic Fury in Kuwait.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 800-273-TALK (8255).

The House of Representatives is launching an internal investigation into a GOP lawmaker accused of having an affair with and sexually harassing an aide who committed suicide last year.

The House Ethics Committee revealed on Wednesday that it is launching an investigative subcommittee on Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, in response to allegations he ‘engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual employed in his congressional office’ and ‘discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges.’

Gonzales narrowly avoided defeat in his GOP primary race on Tuesday night but failed to clinch an outright majority of the vote. He’ll be facing conservative social media personality Brandon Herrera in a runoff election in May.

The Texas Republican has denied the affair with his Uvalde-based late aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, and accused her husband of extortion.

‘During my six years in Congress, not a single formal complaint has been levied against my office. Now days away from an election, coordinated political attacks reign in. IT WON’T WORK. Halfway through early voting and the intensity resides w/ TG voters. I’d rather be us than them,’ he posted on X in late February.

He told Fox News Digital in response to the probe on Wednesday, ‘I welcome the opportunity to present all the facts to the committee.’

It’s not immediately clear what impact the allegations had on his performance or how they will play out between now and his next election. Gonzales defeated Herrera by less than 2% in his 2024 Republican primary.

But the growing scandal has spurred calls for his resignation, notably by some of his fellow House Republicans.

‘I would encourage him to consider resigning,’ Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., told reporters last week.

His fellow Texas lawmaker, Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, urged Gonzales not to run for re-election. ‘America deserves better. Tony should drop out of the race,’ he posted on X.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who has also called for his resignation, announced just this week that she is forcing a vote on a measure requiring the House Ethics Committee to disclose information on lawmakers accused of sexually harassing their staff. 

She told Fox News Digital that Gonzales’ situation was the impetus for her effort, ‘I mean, literally, this girl killed herself in the most heinous way. She literally lit herself on fire and died, and we’re just going to sit here and say, let the process play out? No.’

Gonzales, for his part, previously told reporters that he had no intention of resigning.

The traditionally secretive House Ethics Committee does not give a set timeline for its probes, nor does it typically forecast regular updates on them.

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As the Middle East conflict escalates, many cruise passengers in the region have been left stranded, searching for ways to get home.

Celestyal Journey, Celestyal Discovery and MSC Euribia were all grounded in the last few days.

Thousands of passengers were on ships in the affected areas during the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Many of the vessels have been ordered to halt all activity, Fox News Digital has learned.

‘MSC Cruises is working continuously with airline partners in the region, particularly Emirates and Etihad Airways, to identify and secure return flights for our guests,’ MSC Cruises, headquartered in Geneva, told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

The highly limited number of flights is creating another layer of chaos.

‘We are requesting priority for our guests from our partners. At present, airlines [that are] operating flights have indicated that they will follow an order of priority based on the original flight date,’ MSC Cruises continued.

‘In order to speed up the repatriation, we are working on other options such as chartering flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Muscat,’ the cruise company added.

‘Each evacuation presents a different problem set.’

Across seven major Middle East airports, the total cancellations exceeded 12,000 flights on Tuesday, according to TravelPirates.

‘Right now, the biggest danger is direct fire or debris from Iranian missiles and drones. Iran has targeted the airports and prominent hotels,’ Dale Buckner, a retired U.S. Army colonel and CEO of security firm Global Guardian, based in Virginia, told Fox News Digital.

‘Each evacuation presents a different problem set,’ Buckner continued. ‘One of the biggest challenges has been the chaos at the different UAE-Oman land crossings, where officials are overwhelmed by the influx.’   

At least six ships from four different companies were affected by the conflict in the region, according to Cruise Hive.

‘The situation on board remains calm. We are providing guests with regular updates on the situation,’ MSC Cruises said.

‘We are in constant contact with local authorities, embassies and foreign offices,’ the group added.

Celestyal Cruises, based in Athens, Greece, had two voyages scheduled to depart March 2.

‘We regret to inform our guests and travel partners that, in view of the current circumstances in the Middle East, the Celestyal Journey cruise scheduled to depart from Dubai on March 2, and the Celestyal Discovery cruise scheduled to depart from Abu Dhabi on March 2, have been [canceled],’ Celestyal said in a statement shared with Cruise Critic.

Celestyal Journey will stay in Doha until March 7, according to a statement made by the company on social media. Passengers have been told they can remain on board or disembark.

Celestyal Discovery passengers are not permitted to disembark in Dubai as of now.

‘Once disembarkation is approved, we will provide support to assist guests with transfers from the ship to Abu Dhabi Airport,’ the cruise line said.

Cruise passengers who were booked on the canceled voyages will receive a full refund or future credit.

Norwegian Cruise Line has vessels that travel to the Middle East, but there are no current sailings.

‘We are closely monitoring the evolving conflict in Iran and the broader region,’ a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line told Fox News Digital.

‘We recognize that broader regional disruptions, including airline cancellations and airspace restrictions, may impact some guests’ ability to travel,’ the spokesperson continued.

‘Guests who are unable to reach their embarkation port due to airline-canceled flights related to these events will be eligible for a future cruise credit,’ the company added.

Dubai, which at one time was considered a safe haven in the region, has become a pressure point during a deepening conflict.

‘To date, the UAE has been targeted by around 1,000 Iranian munitions, including drones and ballistic missiles,’ Buckner said.

Kristy Ellmer, a consultant from New Hampshire, had been traveling in Dubai with her husband, Matt Carwell. 

She was promoting her upcoming book and taking time to relax with her husband. Everything changed Saturday.

‘We were just sitting on the beach,’ Ellmer told Fox News Digital in an interview. ‘All of a sudden, we felt explosions.’

Ellmer was originally scheduled to leave Dubai on Sunday night. She had flights canceled for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

She finally got onto a flight headed for Munich on Wednesday as part of her journey home. 

‘It was very calm’ at Dubai International Airport, she said. ‘It was clear where you needed to go.’

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President Donald Trump will host executives of major tech companies at the White House Wednesday afternoon to sign a pledge ensuring the tech giants protect Americans against higher electricity bills tied to data center power demand.

Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI and Amazon are expected to sign the Ratepayer Protection Pledge Wednesday afternoon, Fox News Digital learned. 

The pledge will have the companies agreeing to ‘build, bring, or buy new generation resources and cover the cost of all power delivery infrastructure upgrades required for data centers,’ the White House said.

The Trump administration has promoted the proliferation of artificial intelligence to keep the U.S. as the world’s tech leader, which has included the creation of new data centers and mounting concern energy prices could increase for everyday Americans. The pledge works to combat these concerns and protect Americans against spiking electricity bills. 

The pledge will also have the companies vow against passing expenses to American households.

It also commits companies to hiring and training talent from within communities where they build and operate data centers, which will create thousands of jobs and enhance workforce skills.

‘President Trump’s ratepayer protection pledge will deliver more affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people and help stop the rising electricity prices that started during the previous administration,’ Energy Secretary Chris Wright said ahead of the event. ‘This plan will strengthen American energy dominance, while also ensuring the United States wins the AI race.’

Wright added: ‘We will continue partnering with technology leaders to strengthen America’s competitive edge, while keeping energy costs low for hardworking families.’

Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy said Trump ‘continues to ensure the U.S. leads the world in AI while strengthening the grid and driving down energy costs for American families.’

As for the tech companies, Matt Garman, chief executive officer of Amazon web services, said they are signing the pledge ‘to reinforce our commitment to paying our full energy costs and ensuring our data centers do not increase electricity bills for consumers.’

‘We welcome the Administration’s leadership on this issue and support the pledge’s commitments, which establish a clear baseline to protect ratepayers while enabling responsible, long-term energy partnerships that strengthen the grid and the communities where data centers operate,’ he said.

Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith also touted the pledge, calling it an ‘important step,’ with Meta president and vice chair Dina Powell McCormick saying the pledge ‘ensures families aren’t the ones footing the bill for AI’s energy consumption.’ 

McCormick said the pledge ‘gives companies like Meta the certainty we need to keep up the momentum, ensuring that American AI dominance and the prosperity of American families go hand-in-hand.’

And Ruth Porat of Alphabet and Google said the pledge affirms the company’s ‘long-held commitment to protect energy affordability for American households, accelerate breakthroughs to secure America’s energy future, and deliver energy infrastructure – all of which are critical to maintaining America’s global leadership in this era of innovation.’

‘Building the infrastructure to advance AI is vital for America’s economic competitiveness and for ensuring the benefits of AI reach everyone,’ OpenAI chief operating officer Brad Lightcap said. ‘As demand for AI continues to grow, we believe the infrastructure that enables AI should benefit the communities that make it possible, and that’s why we’re proud to support the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge.’

The White House said the pledge will contribute to ‘lower electricity costs, stronger grid infrastructure, and enhanced grid resilience during emergencies.’

The president announced the Ratepayer Protection Pledge during his State of the Union address in February. 

‘Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that I have negotiated the new ratepayer protection pledge,’ he said. ‘You know what that is? We’re telling the major tech companies that they have the obligation to provide for their own power needs.’

‘We have an old grid,’ he said. ‘It could never handle the kind of numbers, the amount of electricity that’s needed. So I’m telling them, they can build their own plant. They’re going to produce their own electricity. It will ensure the company’s ability to get electricity, while at the same time, lowering prices of electricity for you.’ 

The AI race has pitted the U.S. against China as tech leader, with the Trump administration amplifying efforts to not cede ground to the Asian nation since January 2025. Texas, Louisiana and Pennsylvania are among states seeing expanded data center campuses and AI growth. 

A White House official previously told Fox Digital that the president and administration have been working on the initiative for a while, including Trump posting about the issue on Truth Social in January. 

The pledge comes as affordability concerns continue to be a top issue for voters heading into the midterm election season. Democratic candidates in just a handful of races in the off-year 2025 cycle campaigned on promises of lowering costs for everyday Americans, which proved to be a winning strategy on election night. 

Trump has consistently pushed back on Democrats promoting affordability, pointing to sky-high inflation under the Biden administration as evidence that liberal policies have left Americans’ pocketbooks with less cash. 

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War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that an Iranian leader behind a unit that attempted to assassinate President Trump has been killed in Iran amid Operation Epic Fury.

‘The leader of the unit that attempted to assassinate Trump has been hunted down and killed,’ Hegseth said during a press conference Wednesday morning.

‘Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh,’ Hegseth continued. ‘Now, this is not a ‘mission accomplished’ situation. This is simply a reality check.’

In 2024, Iran-linked actors attempted to arrange an assassination plot to take out the president. Iran has previously threatened to assassinate Trump following the 2020 killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. 

In 2022, an Iranian video depicted an assassination attempt on Trump while he played golf.

U.S. officials confirmed earlier this week that strikes on Iran, which began Saturday, killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

Trump reflected on Khamenei’s death in a call to ABC News’ Jonathan Karl earlier this week, saying: ‘I got him before he got me.’

‘They tried twice,’ Trump continued, referring to Iran’s previous attempts on his life. ‘Well, I got him first.’

Meanwhile, Hegseth, on Wednesday said the combination of U.S. and Israeli intelligence and combat power ‘will control Iran and will control it soon.’

‘America is winning decisively, devastatingly and without mercy,’ Hegseth said.

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The Israeli military’s latest wave of airstrikes in Iran dealt a serious blow to the country’s brutal internal security apparatus, opening the door for a potential uprising.

During the strikes, Israel ‘dropped dozens of munitions on the Basij and internal security command centers that are subject to the Iranian terror regime,’ the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Wednesday. ‘The targeted command centers were used by the Iranian regime to maintain control throughout Iran and maintain the regime’s situational assessments.’

Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. has hit nearly 2,000 targets as it carries out a sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling the regime’s security apparatus and neutralizing threats. Adm. Brad Cooper of U.S. Central Command confirmed the number of targets hit in a video message.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij militia, Iran’s volunteer paramilitary force, were behind the violent crackdown on protesters in January. The bloody crackdown saw regime actors firing on crowds and conducting mass arrests of Iranian protesters. Some had seen the protests as a sign that regime change in Iran was getting nearer, though it did not occur.

Israeli and U.S. officials have hinted at the possibility of regime change in Iran as both countries take aim at Tehran’s military and security sites.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message announcing the launch of Operation Epic Fury, which Israel calls Operation Rising Lion, that it was time for Iranians ‘to rid themselves of the yoke of tyranny.’ Similarly, President Donald Trump said in a message to the Iranian people on Feb. 28 that ‘the hour of your freedom is at hand.’

‘When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations,’ Trump said.

‘America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny, and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass,’ the president added.

Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, told The Wall Street Journal that the path to regime change through foreign airstrikes and popular uprising on the ground has ‘a bet that rests on no clear historical model.’ Vaez also warned that the idea ‘ignores the resilience of entrenched authoritarian systems like the Islamic Republic.’

The IDF said on Monday that Israel had hit headquarters, bases and regional command centers that belonged to the regime’s internal security apparatus.

‘These bodies were responsible for, among other things, suppressing protests against the regime through violent measures and civilian arrests,’ the IDF said.

It is unclear who will lead Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the operation. Since then, Israel and the U.S. have made it clear that regime leaders chosen to replace him would be targets. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Wednesday that anyone chosen to replace Khamenei would be considered ‘a target for elimination’ if they continued to threaten Israel, the U.S. and regional allies.

The killing of key leaders might not be enough to cause an uprising, as the regime has a monopoly on weapons in most of Iran, the WSJ reported, adding that Basij militants are still patrolling the streets.

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips and Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

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Former Major League Baseball star Mark Teixeira has clinched the Republican primary to succeed GOP Rep. Chip Roy in southwest Texas.

Teixeira secured more than 61% of the vote, avoiding a runoff in the 12-candidate primary field.

Teixeira announced his candidacy for the Lone Star State’s 21st Congressional District seat last August. The seat is currently held by Roy, who has said he is running for Texas attorney general.

The announcement of Teixeira’s campaign came days after Republican state lawmakers approved a redistricting map aimed at strengthening the GOP’s position in the 2026 election.

President Donald Trump endorsed Teixeira in the race, and Teixeira pledged to work with the president to secure the border and end what he described as ‘radical woke indoctrination.’

The Club for Growth PAC, which — along with affiliated super PACs — contributed more than $250,000 to Teixeira’s candidacy, applauded his primary victory. Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh said the group was ‘proud to have supported Teixeira in the race.’

‘On the campaign trail, Mark Teixeira outlined his plan to lower taxes, cut red tape, and expand school freedom for every family in Texas. Voters believed in his vision, and rewarded him with the Republican nomination,’ McIntosh said.

Teixeira began his MLB career with the Texas Rangers after being selected fifth overall in the 2001 MLB Draft. His 14-season career included three All-Star selections, five Gold Gloves, three Silver Slugger Awards and a World Series title with the New York Yankees in 2009. Teixeira and his family moved back to Texas in 2021 after he retired from baseball.

Teixeira defeated fellow Republican candidate Daniel Betts, who ran unsuccessfully for Travis County district attorney last year.

The 21st Congressional District covers a heavily Republican area west of Austin and San Antonio.

On the Democratic side, Dr. Kristin Hook was leading the primary field with roughly 61% of the vote Tuesday night, setting up a general election matchup in November.

Teixeira described his primary win as a ‘huge victory.’

‘We’re going to run a strong race and win big in November, then hit the ground running to fight for Texas families,’ Teixeira said. ‘Thank you again, TX-21. God bless Texas, and God bless America.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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