Rubio warns US may need to ‘re-examine’ role in NATO after European ally declines
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Tuesday that the US may need to “re-examine” its role in NATO after the major allies refused to allow US forces to use bases and airspace during Operation Epic Fury.
“If we’ve now reached a point where the NATO alliance says we can’t use those bases, that, in fact, we can no longer use those bases to protect American interests, then NATO is one option. Then NATO is just like we have troops in Europe to protect Europe,” Rubio said on “Hannity.”
He continued, “But … when we ask them to allow us to use their military bases, their answer is no? So why are we in NATO? You have to ask that question.”
Rubio emphasized this point, telling Fox News that there is “no question” that the US must “re-evaluate” its relationship with the coalition once the Iran conflict is resolved, but he delegated President Trump’s authority to make decisions on the matter.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (not pictured) in Munich, February 13, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. (Alex Brandon/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“We will finish the work here [in Iran],” Rubio added.
“We are very close to achieving our goals in all of these things that I have mentioned, but I think that, unfortunately, we will have to re-evaluate whether this alliance has served this country well for a while or not, [whether it’s] does it still serve that purpose, or has it now become a one-way street where America is in a position to protect Europe? But if we need help from our allies, they will deny us basic rights, and they will deny us overflight. “
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The NATO logo is seen during the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 12, 2023. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Rubio’s comments come amid growing frustration within the Trump administration over what officials see as European allies failing to support U.S. military operations at a critical time, especially as Washington moves to dismantle Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
The Secretary of State emphasized that the US was not asking NATO partners to participate directly in the fighting, but simply to provide access to existing infrastructure – a long-standing pillar of the alliance.
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The tension stems in part from the decisions of several European allies who have entered the crosshairs of the administration – including Spain and France – after limiting or denying US access to key bases and airspace during the initial stages of the operation.
Spain, for example, closed its airspace to US planes involved in the war in Iran, while President Trump criticized France because the country “would not allow planes to Israel, loaded with military equipment, to fly into French territory,” adding in a Truth Social post that the long-term partner is “NOT VERY HELPFUL.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
