Iran war backlash batters Marco Rubio as he's caught in messy crossfire

Marco Rubio's honeymoon as Donald Trump's star Cabinet member may be coming to an end.

The secretary of state's net approval number has taken a hit after the US strikes in Iran.

Rubio’s approval rating sank from a high of 40 percent in February to 36 percent on Friday according to an exclusive new Daily Mail/JL Partners poll conducted after the military strikes began.

Thirty-four percent disapprove of Rubio. Seventeen percent offered a neutral position and another 14 percent were unsure.

The poll of 1,020 registered voters was conducted between March 2 and March 3 with a 3.1 percent margin of error.

Prior to the war, Rubio earned widespread support from voters as he took on additional duties on top of his role as Secretary of State, including as the president’s national security advisor.

The president specifically recognized Rubio’s service during the State of the Union address, earning him a standing ovation from the rest of Trump’s cabinet.

‘People like you!’ Trump remarked to Rubio. ‘You have done a great job, great Secretary of State. I think he’ll go down as the best ever.’

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media as Cabinet officials deliver Congressional briefings on Iran

Trump’s approval rating now stands at 44 percent, down four points since the war in Iran began, marking the lowest rating recorded in Daily Mail tracking to date.

The president’s decision has affected the American public’s view of his entire administration, as the president’s military advisors have stated that military strikes in Iran will escalate.

Vice President JD Vance currently has a 37 percent approval among all voters. Vance remains slightly more popular among Republican voters with an 85 percent approval rating. Rubio rests with an approval rating of 82 percent among Republican voters.

President Donald Trump talking with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles as Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., during Operation Epic Fury

Both Vance and Rubio have defended Trump’s decision to launch a war in Iran, beginning with punishing air strikes that began early Saturday morning.

Vance repeated on Fox News on Monday that the mission was part of the president’s efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon - even after the 12 day war in Iran last June to obliterate their nuclear enrichment facilities.

Rubio told reporters that the military strikes was a preemptive action to prevent United States casualties in the Middle East.

'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 before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties.'

Critics of Trump’s war in Iran jumped on Rubio’s comments as evidence that the United States was forced into the war in Iran by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

But Rubio clarified that the military strikes on Iran ‘had to happen’ and that the President made the decision to attack them first.

'That's what I said yesterday, and you guys need to play it. If you're going to play these statements, you need to play the whole statement, not flip it to reach a narrative that you want to,' he added.

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the Oval Office after the attacks in Iran began

US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth look on as US President Donald Trump meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office

But voters believe that Vance remains the most influential person in Trump’s circle.

Prior to the war, 19 percent of respondents said Vance was the most influential member of Trump’s inner circle. Rubio was second with 12 percent followed by Donald Trump Jr. and Stephen Miller tied for third place.

Vance also continues to lead potential candidates for the 2028 Republican presidential ticket with 53 percent. Rubio is in second place with 14 percent support followed by Ron DeSantis at a distant third with seven percent followed by Senator Ted Cruz at three percent.