Arriving at the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Summit held today in Brussels, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the United States remains highly active within NATO. He reassured his counterparts that the U.S. was “as engaged as ever”, dismissing media reports that suggested otherwise. Rubio further underscored that “President Trump has made it clear that he supports NATO” and that “we will remain in NATO.”
The U.S. Secretary of State then stated that America’s goal is to make the Alliance stronger and more sustainable, emphasizing that allies should enhance their capabilities. “It is not just a group of partners and allies, but also a collection of advanced economies and wealthy nations that have the capacity to do more. We understand that this requires compromise. We have to make compromises every year in our own country. I assure you, we also have domestic needs. However, we have prioritized defense due to the role we play in the world. And we want our partners to do the same,” he said.
Finally, he remarked that the events of recent years, particularly the war “at the heart of Europe,” serve as a reminder that “hard power remains essential as a deterrent.” He stressed that by the end of the Summit, there should be a clear understanding that “we are on a realistic path, where each member commits to and fulfills the promise of reaching up to 5% of spending.” He added that this expectation also includes the United States, which must increase its own contribution.
