U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in France for the G7 meeting, following sharp criticism from President Donald Trump toward NATO members over their hesitation or refusal to take part in the war against Iran.
When asked by reporters what kind of reception he expected, Rubio said before departure that he looked forward to meeting his counterparts and expected to have “excellent meetings.”
“I’m not here to make them happy. I get along well with everyone personally, and we work very carefully with their governments. But the people I want to make happy are the citizens of the United States. I work for them, not for France, Germany, or Japan,” he said.
Rubio left Washington for the G7 meeting just hours after Trump complained that NATO countries are not doing enough to support the United States and Israel in confronting Iran.
“Frankly, I think countries around the world, even those that complain a little about this, should actually be grateful that the United States has a president willing to confront this kind of threat,” Rubio said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
