US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that a change in congressional control following upcoming elections would not alter President Donald Trump's foreign policy directives, while acknowledging that lawmakers retain significant authority over funding and oversight. Rubio made the remarks at the close of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta.

Rubio's Core Argument

Responding to a reporter who asked whether his job would become more difficult if Democrats controlled Congress from January, Rubio pushed back on the premise itself. 'Well, first of all, we haven't had an election yet. So we don't know what Congress will look like,' he said, declining to concede the outcome in advance.

He argued that divided government is a familiar feature of the American political system and would not redefine the president's core responsibilities. 'It won't influence or change the President's directives in terms of what he was elected to do,' Rubio stated.

Executive Branch Leads, Congress Checks

Rubio was careful to delineate the constitutional division of labour. While affirming the executive branch's primary role in shaping foreign policy, he acknowledged Congress's distinct but important function. 'Now, Congress has a role to play, primarily in the funding and the appropriations and in the oversight function,' he said.

Drawing on his own experience as a US Senator, Rubio noted he had served in both the majority and minority, and under both Republican and Democratic presidents — giving him a first-hand view of how these divisions of responsibility play out. 'And, to my great frustration when I was a member of the Senate, I realised that while there are things we can do, ultimately the foreign policy decisions are made by the executive branch,' he said.

Historical Precedent Cited

Rubio pointed to former President Barack Obama's tenure as a precedent for administrations navigating a Congress controlled by the opposing party. He suggested the Trump administration was prepared to operate under similar conditions if necessary, describing legislative oversight and appropriations as normal, expected parts of the system.

'The central role belongs to the executive branch is something I learned when I was in the legislative branch, and it's something I know now,' he said, closing the exchange without predicting the election result.

Iran, Ukraine, and the G20 Agenda

On other pressing foreign policy matters, Rubio declined to announce further military action against Iran, stating that such decisions rest with the president. He also confirmed that Trump would decide whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should attend the upcoming G20 summit in Florida.

Rubio described the Atlanta meeting's economic emphasis as a direct presidential directive, saying Trump wanted the forum to concentrate on energy, technology, supply chains, and other issues central to the G20's economic mandate. As the elections draw closer, the administration's posture on congressional relations will face its first real test.