Rubio Senate Hearing: Gaza Civilian Relocation Must Be Fully Voluntary/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration’s approach to relocating Gaza civilians, insisting it would be “voluntary.” He faced harsh criticism from Democrats over cuts to foreign aid, U.S. migration policy, and his role in reshaping global diplomacy. The Senate hearing exposed deep divides on humanitarian strategy and U.S. values.
Rubio’s Gaza Plan and Senate Testimony Quick Looks
- Rubio says U.S. asking nations to accept voluntary Gaza migrants.
- Denies U.S. is planning forced deportations or relocations.
- Pushback from Democrats calling plan “forced migration.”
- Rubio: “No deportation. Only voluntary humanitarian movement.”
- Biden-era foreign aid programs slashed under Trump.
- Rubio defends Elon Musk’s DOGE agency amid aid collapse.
- Protester interrupts hearing yelling “Stop the genocide.”
- Rubio grilled on Iran, Ukraine, white South African immigration.
- Trump critics say humanitarian strategy undermined U.S. credibility.
- Rubio elevated to national security adviser after Trump reshuffle.
Deep Look: Rubio Defends Gaza Migration Plan, Denies Forced Deportation as Senate Blasts Foreign Policy
WASHINGTON, D.C. — May 21, 2025 — Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that the Trump administration is not deporting Palestinians from Gaza, but is instead exploring voluntary relocation efforts in partnership with foreign governments.
“There’s no deportation,” Rubio insisted. “We’ve asked countries preliminarily whether they would be open to accepting people — not as a permanent solution, but as a bridge to reconstruction.”
Rubio emphasized that any movement of civilians out of Gaza would be strictly voluntary, prompted by personal needs like medical care or schooling. He said he was unaware of Libya being included in these talks.
Critics Call It Forced Migration
Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley rejected Rubio’s framing, accusing the administration of backing a strategy of forced migration by tolerating conditions in Gaza that make staying impossible.
Rubio maintained that the U.S. was not facilitating mass deportations, but simply exploring temporary humanitarian options. “If someone says ‘I want to go somewhere else for a while,’ we are seeing if there are willing host countries,” he said.
Dems Unleash Over Foreign Aid Cuts, Gaza Blockade
Senator Chris Van Hollen sharply criticized Rubio’s leadership, calling his tenure a betrayal of shared values. “You haven’t defended democracy or human rights,” he said. “You stood by while Elon Musk took a chainsaw to USAID.”
Van Hollen concluded: “I regret voting to confirm you as Secretary of State.”
Rubio, visibly unmoved, responded: “Your regret confirms I’m doing a good job.”
Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii cited skyrocketing mortality in Africa and Asia due to Trump’s deep cuts to global aid: “103 deaths an hour — this is not abstract. It’s catastrophic.”
Rubio countered that Trump’s proposed $2.9 billion America First Opportunity Fund will restructure foreign aid under State Department control and blamed local logistics issues in places like South Sudan for gaps in distribution.
Rubio Pressed on Iran and Ukraine Policies
Senators also pressed Rubio on other hot-button issues:
- On Iran, Rubio said negotiations are focused on uranium enrichment and insisted sanctions tied to terrorism would remain in place.
- On Ukraine, he said: “There is no military solution. It will have to end in a negotiated settlement.”
Senator Jeanne Shaheen accused Trump and Rubio of giving Russia leverage by taking NATO membership for Ukraine off the table. Rubio replied that “every single sanction remains in place.”
Putin isn’t getting the Ukraine war he expected, Rubio says
“I think he approaches it, we have to assume, from a cold, calculated cost-benefit, nation-state evaluation of what’s in the best interest of his view of Russia. What I’m pretty certain of is, this is not the war he thought he was getting. When he first invaded Ukraine,I think he anticipated that the government would collapse and that, he would be greeted as a liberator, and it has not turned out that way. And in fact, Russia today controls less territory than they did after the first two months of the war.”
He added that the end of the conflict would allow the U.S. to focus its attention elsewhere.
“And so it would be of great benefit if we were able to conclude the war in Ukraine and with Russia and Ukraine, if we were able to establish some stability and peace in the Middle East, if we were able to deal with these issues, it would allow us to focus more time, energy and, frankly, resources on some of the challenges we face in the long term with regards to the Indo-Pacific, and other parts of the world, but particularly the Indo-Pacific.”
Trump’s Gaza Policy Faces Global Scrutiny
Senators grilled Rubio on whether the U.S. was doing enough to push Israel to ease its blockade on Gaza, particularly the use of aid denial to encourage civilian movement.
Merkley asked: “Is the U.S. telling Israel that food denial as migration strategy is unacceptable?”
Rubio replied: “We were pleased to see aid resume. But yes, it’s not sufficient yet.” He reiterated that the ultimate solution is the elimination of Hamas to ensure Gaza’s long-term stability.
Rubio Defends White South African Immigration Priority
Democrat Tim Kaine pressed Rubio on Trump’s decision to prioritize white South African immigrants, even as refugee programs for much of the Global South were gutted.
Rubio defended the policy: “They’re afraid for their lives. I think that’s a good reason to come.”
Critics say claims of “white genocide” in South Africa are baseless and stoked by far-right rhetoric — rhetoric echoed by Trump ally Elon Musk.
Rubio Ducks on Trump’s Meme Coin Dinner
Senator Chris Murphy asked Rubio about Trump’s controversial $TRUMP meme coin dinner, for which investors spent an estimated $148 million.
“I didn’t even know there was a dinner,” Rubio claimed, distancing himself from the event and declining to identify any foreign attendees.
DOGE Under Fire, Protest Erupts in Hearing
Democrats also slammed Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Senator Shaheen noted reports that “DOGE has not saved a dime” and hurt national programs.
Protesters interrupted the hearing, shouting “Stop the genocide,” before being removed by Capitol Police.
Rubio — now also serving as Trump’s national security adviser — faces scrutiny for wearing multiple hats while defending controversial policy shifts abroad.
‘We’re not abandoning women’s issues,’ Rubio says
Jacky Rosen, a Democratic senator from Nevada, told Rubio she was disappointed in his actions so far, and particularly the role of the State Department’s Office of Global Women’s issues.
Don’t you think women’s participation is important, she asked.
“This is not a game show. I’m not going to ask that with a yes or no,” Rubio responded. “That’s an important question. And I can answer: We’re not abandoning women’s issues,” Rubio said.
It is “one thing” to eliminate an office, Rubio said and “another thing is to eliminate the function.”
Regional bureaus will pick up women’s issues, he said.
“The function will still exist and it will be driven at the regional bureaus. So every one of our regions will have someone who’s looking at driving that issue, and right down to the embassy it remains a priority …
“This is going to be executed on, but it’s going to be executed at the regional level and at the embassy level. And the reason why is because the challenges facing women in Africa are different than the challenges facing women in Central America.”
South Africa needs to change on Israel, Rubio says
Rubio was asked by Texas Senator Ted Cruz about South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa visiting Washington D.C. this week to reset relations with the United States.
Rubio suggested that South Africa would need to change its position on Israel. Pretoria has led the charge on accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, a charge Israel denies.
“Obviously, the position they’ve adopted towards Israel is way not just off balance, but completely geared towards one side and it makes one wonder about these allegations that are out there now of foreign influence, including with Iran. They clearly, on the global stage and multiple multinational organizations, have consistently been a vote against America’s interests time and again.”
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