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// DOSSIER — rubio-defends-us-demands-nato-defense-spending
Rubio Defends US Demands for Higher NATO Defense Spending During European Tour
REL_TIME: 10 Oct 2026 00:15Z · LANG: EN
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio completed a three-nation European tour of Iceland, Greece, and Portugal, defending White House calls for NATO allies to increase defense spending. Rubio insisted that US pressure is 'not a hostile thing,' but a necessary step to ensure the military alliance acts as a strong deterrent against external threats. Allies pledged last year to reach a 5% of GDP defense spending target by 2035 following demands from President Donald Trump and rising concerns over Russia and China. Rubio's diplomatic effort comes amid friction over US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth accusing some members of 'free-riding' and reviewing US military posture in Europe, as well as debates over base access during the Iran war.
// Background
NATO allies committed last year to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 following pressure from President Donald Trump, who accused European nations of relying disproportionately on American taxpayer funding. Security concerns in Europe have grown since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, alongside reports of Russian sabotage campaigns targeting NATO member states.
// Key Developments
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio completed a tour of NATO allies Iceland, Greece, and Portugal, asserting that US demands for increased defense spending are aimed at strengthening the alliance.
- NATO members committed to boosting defense spending to 5% of economic output by 2035, though several countries face domestic resistance and budgetary hurdles.
- US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a review of American forces in Europe while accusing certain NATO allies of free-riding amid tensions over the Iran war.
- Portugal granted the US conditional access to its Lajes Field air base in the Azores for refueling flights related to the Iran conflict, drawing legal complaints from local left-wing political parties.
- Rubio warned that the stalemate in the Russia-Ukraine war risks escalating into sabotage campaigns inside neighboring NATO countries.
// Timeline
-
Russia launches a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, initiating a prolonged conflict that increases security pressure on neighboring European NATO members.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivers a keynote foreign policy speech in front of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, urging Europe to increase defense spending.
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Rubio holds a joint press conference with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel in Lisbon, concluding his European diplomatic tour.
// Perspectives
[United States (Department of State)]
Views defense spending demands as essential to maintaining NATO's strength and deterrence against potential adversaries, insisting the pressure is supportive rather than hostile.
[United States (Department of Defense)]
Takes a combative stance towards under-spending NATO members, accusing them of free-riding and placing US military force deployments in Europe under official review.
[Portugal]
Considers its relationship with the US fundamental, committing to raise defense spending to around 3% of GDP while granting conditional US military access to Lajes Field air base.
// Quotes
“People sometimes view this call to invest more in defence as a hostile thing. It is not a hostile thing. On the contrary, what we are arguing is that NATO is important. For NATO to matter, NATO has to be strong.”
“The stronger the individual members of NATO are – both societally, economically, and militarily – the stronger NATO is. That’s what we want, and that’s what we’ve been asking for.”
