Secretary Rubio’s Call with German Foreign Minister Wadephul
03/09/2026
Secretary Rubio’s Call with German Foreign Minister Wadephul
03/09/2026 05:17 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
Secretary Rubio’s Call with German Foreign Minister Wadephul
Readout
March 9, 2026
The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Pigott:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. The Secretary outlined U.S. objectives in the region, emphasizing the importance of protecting U.S. personnel and partners and of continued coordination with allies. The Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed the ongoing threats posed by the Iranian regime to regional stability and condemned recent attacks.
Joint Statement on the U.S.-France Deterrence, Strategic Stability, and Non-Proliferation Dialogue
03/11/2026
Joint Statement on the U.S.-France Deterrence, Strategic Stability, and Non-Proliferation Dialogue
03/11/2026 08:07 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
Joint Statement on the U.S.-France Deterrence, Strategic Stability, and Non-Proliferation Dialogue
Media Note
March 11, 2026
The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and France on the occasion of the U.S.-France Deterrence, Strategic Stability, and Non-proliferation Dialogue.
Begin text:
The United States and France convened a U.S.-France Deterrence, Strategic Stability, and Non-proliferation Dialogue in Paris on March 9, 2026.
Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas G. DiNanno co-chaired for the United States, and Director for Strategic Affairs, Security, and Disarmament at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Claire Raulin co-chaired for France. The delegations included participants from both sides’ foreign affairs, defense, and energy agencies.
The two delegations held extensive talks on all nuclear related issues. Both delegations discussed the current strategic environment and its challenges.
The United States and France decided to establish an annual bilateral dialogue and to create a working group to facilitate strengthened cooperation and prepare annual talks.
End text.
The Week at State: March 6, 2026 - March 12, 2026
03/13/2026
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March 6 – March 12
We have assisted over 30,000 Americans seeking to return from the Middle East through our 24/7 task force.
Here’s what happened at State this week.
The Department of State continued to support Americans in the Middle East.Secretary Rubio joined President Trump for the first ever Shield of the Americas summit, welcoming leaders from 13 countries.
On U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, we honored those still waiting, those who have returned, and remembered those whose homecoming came in a tragic way.
Americans Welcomed Home
Under Secretary for Management Jason Evans welcomes U.S. diplomats and their family members home after their return from posts in the Middle East at Dulles International Airport. (Official State Department photo by Issac D. Pacheco)
As of March 11, more than 43,000 Americans have safely returned from the Middle East. Through the State Department’s 24/7 Task Force, we have directly assisted over 30,000 Americans. We have chartered more than two dozen flights to bring home Americans, including diplomats and their families who have been ordered to depart from the region.
Reflecting on the Department’s efforts, Secretary Rubio said, “Our number one priority is the safety and the security of American citizens everywhere in the world.”
Americans in the Middle East who need assistance can call the U.S. Department of State, 24/7, at +1-202-501-4444.
Shield of the Americas Bolsters Regional Security
Secretary Rubio and Special Envoy Kristi Noem deliver remarks at a working lunch at the Shield of the Americas Summit at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida, March 7, 2026. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett)
On March 7, Secretary Rubio joined President Trump to welcome the leaders of 13 countries committed to freedom, security, and prosperity for our hemisphere.
President Trump addressed the assembled leaders, stating that their cooperation would make the countries represented at the meeting “safer, stronger, richer, and more successful than ever before.”
The Secretary commended counterparts from across the hemisphere for their shared commitment to disrupting destabilizing crossborder cartel networks. “Together with our partners, the U.S. will transform the Western Hemisphere,” he said on X.
This historic coalition of nations will work together to advance strategies that stop foreign interference in our hemisphere, criminal and narco-terrorist gangs and cartels, and illegal and mass immigration.
U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day
Secretary Rubio delivers remarks at the U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag Raising Ceremony at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., March 9, 2026. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett)
Secretary Rubio hosted visitors from across the U.S. government, former detainees, and families of wrongfully detained Americans at the third U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day.
In his remarks, the Secretary thanked returned detainees and their families for their resolve.
“It’s a day that exists because families and loved ones refuse to let their loved ones be forgotten. We have this day to celebrate those who return, to honor those who perished in captivity, and commit to returning those who are still in detention – and holding also the perpetrators of this accountable,” he said.
Secretary Rubio noted that since President Trump’s inauguration, over 100 Americans have been brought home.
“I think it’s also important to give President Donald Trump a tremendous amount of credit. He has made, from the very first day in office, the return of Americans held abroad unjustly a priority of his administration,” he said.
News You May Have MissedSecretary Rubio designated Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention and warned Americans not to travel to the country.
The U.S. and France opened a Deterrence, Strategic Stability, and Non-Proliferation Dialogue to establish annual bilateral talks on all nuclear-related issues.
Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau led the U.S. Presidential Delegation to the inauguration of Chile’s President-elect José Antonio Kast to lay the foundation for progress on shared priorities, including upgrading our security partnership.
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On the Occasion of St. Patrick’s Day
03/17/2026
On the Occasion of St. Patrick’s Day
03/17/2026 12:01 AM EDT
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
On the Occasion of St. Patrick’s Day
Press Statement
March 17, 2026
On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my congratulations to the people of Ireland as you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
The bond between our nations is truly special and enduring. Over 30 million Americans claim Irish heritage, and Ireland’s contributions to American independence, from Charles Thomson’s design of the Great Seal of the United States to the nine signers of the Declaration of Independence of Irish origin, are woven into our nation’s founding.
As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, we look forward to deepening our partnership to meet the opportunities and challenges of today’s world. Our trade and investment relationship stands at over $1 trillion, with Ireland ranking as the fifth-largest foreign investor in the United States, supporting over 375,000 American jobs across all 50 states. We are committed to advancing fair trade policies that benefit us all. The United States and Ireland enjoy close cooperation, and we remain committed to working together to safeguard our shared security and address global challenges. Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh.
Under Secretary Helberg’s Travel to Texas to Sign Pax Silica Declaration with Sweden
03/17/2026
Under Secretary Helberg’s Travel to Texas to Sign Pax Silica Declaration with Sweden
03/17/2026 10:12 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
Under Secretary Helberg’s Travel to Texas to Sign Pax Silica Declaration with Sweden
Media Note
March 17, 2026
Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg will travel to Houston, Texas, on March 17, 2026, with U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden Christine Toretti to meet with Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard. Foreign Minister Stenergard will sign the Pax Silica Declaration on behalf of Sweden, observed by Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, marking Sweden’s entry into the Pax Silica initiative.
Sweden will be the first EU Member State to sign the Pax Silica Declaration since its official launch in December 2025, furthering efforts to build a network of trusted partners to secure global technology supply chains, address AI-related opportunities and vulnerabilities, and pursue joint investment. With this signing, Sweden becomes the twelfth Pax Silica member, joining Australia, Greece, India, Israel, Japan, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
Pax Silica is a positive-sum partnership of nations that want to remain competitive and prosperous.
Upon conclusion of the ceremony, Under Secretary Helberg will depart for Dallas to meet with the President and CEO of the Ericsson Group Börje Ekholm and the President and CEO of Ericsson Americas Yossi Cohen. The Under Secretary will tour Ericsson’s USA 5G Smart Factory, which manufactures equipment powering 5G networks across the United States.
For further information, please submit questions here, and stay updated by following @UnderSecE on X.
To learn more, visit Pax Silica.
On the Death of Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church
03/19/2026
On the Death of Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church
03/19/2026 04:05 PM EDT
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
On the Death of Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church
Press Statement
March 19, 2026
We mourn the passing of His Holiness, Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II, and offer our sincere condolences to the people of Georgia, as well as to all the faithful of the Georgian Orthodox Church. His spiritual leadership and enduring legacy will be remembered for generations to come. May he rest in peace.
On the Death of Filaret, Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and Honorary Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
03/21/2026
On the Death of Filaret, Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and Honorary Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
03/21/2026 12:29 PM EDT
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
On the Death of Filaret, Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and Honorary Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
Press Statement
March 21, 2026
We mourn the loss of His Holiness, Patriarch Filaret, and extend our heartfelt condolences to the people of Ukraine and all the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox community. His steadfast life of service shaped Ukraine’s spiritual identity during pivotal moments in its history, and his legacy will endure in the strength of Ukraine’s religious and national life. May he rest in peace.
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