Washington, United States — The United States government may reconsider its relationship with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after the ongoing conflict involving Iran comes to an end, according to Marco Rubio, the United States Secretary of State.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Rubio said the alliance’s role would be reassessed once the war concludes. He stated, “I think there’s no doubt, unfortunately, after this conflict is concluded, we are going to have to reexamine that relationship. We’re going to have to reexamine the value of NATO in that alliance for our country.”
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a military alliance formed in 1949 that includes the United States, Canada, and numerous European nations. The organization aims to provide collective defense among its members. However, Rubio suggested that recent developments during the conflict with Iran could affect Washington’s view of the partnership.
He added that the final decision would rest with Donald Trump, the President of the United States. Rubio noted that he had previously supported NATO strongly while serving in the United States Senate, highlighting what he described as the strategic importance of American military bases in Europe.
According to Rubio, these installations have historically allowed the United States military to “project power into different parts of the world.” He warned that if restrictions prevent Washington from using those bases, the alliance could lose its value for the United States.
“If now we have reached a point where the NATO alliance means that we can’t use those bases, that in fact we can no longer use those bases to defend America’s interests, then NATO is a one-way street,” he added.
Okay News reports that Rubio also questioned allied cooperation during the current conflict. He said Washington was not requesting NATO members to conduct airstrikes but expected access to military facilities when necessary. “When we need them to allow us to use their military bases, their answer is ‘No?’ Then why are we in NATO? You have to ask that question,” he said.
His remarks followed decisions by some European countries to limit American military access. Italy reportedly denied a United States aircraft permission to land while it was travelling to the Middle East for a combat mission. Meanwhile, Spain closed its airspace to United States planes involved in operations related to Iran.
The developments highlight growing tension within NATO about the scope of cooperation during the conflict and could shape future discussions about the alliance’s role in global security.
