Secretary of State Marco Rubio confronted mainstream media on Sunday during a series of appearances following President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Rubio clashed with CBS host Margaret Brennan as she pressed him for insights about Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday, as well as the upcoming White House meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy.
‘This is such a ridiculous media narrative that [European leaders] are coming here tomorrow because Trump is going to pressure Zelensky into a bad deal. We’ve been coordinating with these people for weeks… We invited them to come,’ Rubio stated to Brennan.
‘To achieve a deal… to end this conflict, both sides will need to make concessions,’ Rubio said about the agreement the U.S. is helping to mediate between Russia and Ukraine.
Brennan pressed Rubio on whether he, and the Trump administration as a whole, were requiring the withdrawal of Russian troops from territory that Putin ‘has already taken by force.’
‘This is about what Ukraine can accept. And what Russia can accept. Both sides have to agree, or there won’t be a peace deal,’ Rubio responded to Brennan.
‘If there aren’t concessions, if one side gets everything they want, that’s called surrender. That’s called the end of the war through surrender. And that’s not what we’re close to doing, because neither side here is on the verge of surrender or anything close to it,’ the Secretary of State continued.
X users piled on the praise for Rubio’s CBS performance, and a similar takedown he offered on ABC Sunday as well.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appears on Face The Nation on CBS on August 17, 2025
CBS host Margaret Brennan questions U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appears on Face The Nation on CBS on August 17, 2025
‘Can you name any concessions that Vladimir Putin made during this meeting?’ ABC host Martha Raddatz asked Rubio on Sunday.
‘I wouldn’t name them on your program,’ Rubio fired back. ‘Why would I do that?’
Conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk wrote ‘bravo to Sec. Marco Rubio this morning for embarrassing CBS and ABC News. Impressive he didn’t just walk out of those interviews.’
‘Imagine hating President Trump so much that you actively root for peace talks to fail. What vile, ghoulish creatures,’ Kirk added, doubling down on his disapproval of Brennan and ABC host Martha Raddatz.
‘I don’t care if you’re Republican or Democrat—anyone should be able to see how blatantly the mainstream media twists the narrative in this interview alone,’ wrote an X user posting under the handle @jaimewildshark.
Conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk via X
U.S. President Donald Trump walks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as they meet to negotiate for an end to the war in Ukraine, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025
President Donald Trump meets with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. At left is Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and second from right is Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich chimed in that the ‘news media and the “expert” analysts and commentators are making fools of themselves over the Trump-Putin meeting.’
‘Secretary of State Marco Rubio had it just right when he said the press literally had no idea what was said in the meetings. President Trump is a great negotiator and Alaska was just the opening act in a multi act play. Patience and calm would be a wise approach for the time being,’ Gingrich added in his analysis.
X user @VigilantFox noted that Marco Rubio absolutely ‘humiliated CBS’ Margaret Brennan after she melted down over Trump not achieving a ceasefire or slapping new sanctions.’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House on Monday, and leaders of other European nations, including Britain, France, and Germany are expected to be in attendance.
