Stories
US Pressure on NATO to Boost Defense Spending is Not Hostile, Says Rubio
N
News18•08-10-2026, 20:45
US Pressure on NATO to Boost Defense Spending is Not Hostile, Says Rubio
- •US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that American pressure on NATO allies to increase defense spending is intended to build stronger deterrence, not act as a hostile measure.
- •During a visit to Lisbon, Rubio acknowledged that smaller NATO members face financial challenges but emphasized that every nation must be as strong as possible.
- •Rubio warned of the ongoing risks of the war in Ukraine, including potential sabotage campaigns spilling over into neighboring NATO countries.
- •Rubio praised Portugal for its defense spending efforts, though current levels still fall short of the 5 percent of GDP demanded by President Donald Trump.
- •Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel reaffirmed the fundamental relationship with the US, following Portugal's decision to grant conditional approval for US operations at Lajes Field.
Key Questions Answered
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated during his visit to Portugal that US pressure on NATO allies to boost defense spending is "not a hostile thing" but rather intended to make the alliance a stronger deterrent.
Portugal spends just over 2 percent of its GDP on defense and plans to increase it to around 3 percent. Unlike neighbouring Spain, Portugal's government granted Washington conditional approval to use the Lajes Field air base in the Azores for refueling flights during the Iran war.
Following a formal complaint by a small left-wing political party named Left Bloc, Portugal's attorney general's office announced it is looking into whether granting the US conditional approval to use the Lajes Field base was lawful.
