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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio connected Thursday (May 21, 2026) renewed disapproval of NATO for not supporting the U.S. warfare connected Iran, arsenic helium headed to confederation talks successful Sweden.
“There are galore countries successful NATO that hold with america that Iran can’t person a atomic weapon, that Iran is simply a menace to the world,” Mr. Rubio told reporters successful Miami earlier leaving for the talks among NATO Foreign Ministers successful Helsingborg, Sweden.
President Donald Trump “said, fine, I’m going to bash thing astir it,” Mr. Rubio said.
“He’s not asking them to perpetrate troops. He’s not asking them to nonstop their combatant jets in. But they garbage to bash anything,” helium said.
“We were precise upset astir that.”
The United States and Israel jointly attacked Iran connected February 28. Mr. Trump did not consult NATO up of time, and cardinal European allies person voiced scepticism implicit the request for war, with U.S. and Israeli claims of an imminent Iranian atomic menace highly disputed and Tehran’s retaliation sending planetary lipid prices soaring.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez denounced the warfare arsenic amerciable and refused to fto U.S. jets usage bases successful his country.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Iran was “humiliating” the United States successful negotiations, infuriating Mr. Trump whose medication rapidly announced that the United States was pulling 5,000 troops from bases successful Germany.
“I’ve been a beardown protagonist of NATO my full career,” said Mr. Rubio, a erstwhile senator.
But helium continued: “I cognize wherefore NATO is bully for Europe, but wherefore is NATO bully for America? Because it gives america bases successful the portion that let america to task powerfulness during a contingency successful the Middle East oregon determination else.”
“So erstwhile that is the cardinal rationale for wherefore you’re successful NATO, and past you person countries similar Spain denying america the usage of these bases, good then, wherefore are you successful NATO? That’s a precise just question,” helium said.
He added that different countries were much helpful, antecedently singling retired Portugal for praise.
