US to Remain in NATO, Asserts Rubio
Washington remains highly engaged with the military alliance, according to the Secretary of State. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has assured NATO member countries that the United States is firmly committed to the military alliance, while...
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Washington remains highly engaged with the military alliance, according to the Secretary of State.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has assured NATO member countries that the United States is firmly committed to the military alliance, while also emphasizing the necessity for members to significantly boost their military expenditures.
These comments were made during NATO’s foreign ministers’ meeting held in Brussels on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump had previously indicated that he might withdraw from NATO if member states did not increase their military spending. He has advocated for a substantial increase to 5% of gross domestic product from the current benchmark of 2%, a target only achieved by 23 out of the 32 members as of 2024.
“The United States is in NATO . . . The United States is as active in NATO as it has ever been,” Rubio told reporters, dismissing concerns about that commitment as “hysteria.”
He emphasized that Trump was “not against NATO” but opposed a bloc that “does not have the capabilities that it needs to fulfil the obligations” of its founding treaty.
Rubio pointed out that “every single” NATO member should agree on a “realistic pathway” towards eventually committing 5% of its GDP to defense, acknowledging that this may take years.
Eastern European nations like Estonia and Poland have backed the US proposal, with Estonia already pledging 3.7% of its GDP and Poland aiming for 4.7%. However, prominent EU economies such as Italy and Germany have criticized the 5% target as impractical, citing economic constraints.
Trump’s rhetoric regarding NATO has led European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to propose a 'rearmament' initiative aimed at increasing military spending through loans. Nevertheless, Southern European countries have reportedly expressed “serious doubts” about assuming additional debt in light of this plan.
Anna Muller for TROIB News
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has assured NATO member countries that the United States is firmly committed to the military alliance, while also emphasizing the necessity for members to significantly boost their military expenditures.
These comments were made during NATO’s foreign ministers’ meeting held in Brussels on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump had previously indicated that he might withdraw from NATO if member states did not increase their military spending. He has advocated for a substantial increase to 5% of gross domestic product from the current benchmark of 2%, a target only achieved by 23 out of the 32 members as of 2024.
“The United States is in NATO . . . The United States is as active in NATO as it has ever been,” Rubio told reporters, dismissing concerns about that commitment as “hysteria.”
He emphasized that Trump was “not against NATO” but opposed a bloc that “does not have the capabilities that it needs to fulfil the obligations” of its founding treaty.
Rubio pointed out that “every single” NATO member should agree on a “realistic pathway” towards eventually committing 5% of its GDP to defense, acknowledging that this may take years.
Eastern European nations like Estonia and Poland have backed the US proposal, with Estonia already pledging 3.7% of its GDP and Poland aiming for 4.7%. However, prominent EU economies such as Italy and Germany have criticized the 5% target as impractical, citing economic constraints.
Trump’s rhetoric regarding NATO has led European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to propose a 'rearmament' initiative aimed at increasing military spending through loans. Nevertheless, Southern European countries have reportedly expressed “serious doubts” about assuming additional debt in light of this plan.
Anna Muller for TROIB News
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