U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled that Washington may reconsider its participation in NATO if European allies continue to restrict American access to military bases and airspace. Rubio specifically criticized Spain and other allies for limiting support in the ongoing conflict with Iran, describing the situation as undermining U.S. strategic interests.
“NATO is valuable to the United States because it allows us to station troops and equipment overseas. But if the alliance focuses only on defending Europe when it is threatened and then denies us access to bases when we need them, that is not a fair deal,” Rubio said. “It is difficult to remain engaged and claim this is beneficial for the United States. Everything will need to be reassessed.”
The secretary highlighted that Spain, a NATO member the U.S. is committed to defending, recently denied the United States access to its airspace and restricted operations at key bases, including Rota and Morón in Andalusia. Both bases have long been operated jointly by Spain and the United States.
Rubio stressed that NATO cannot be a “one-way street,” emphasizing the need for equitable responsibilities and access among allies. “I hope we can resolve this. We will have time to address these issues in the future,” he added.
The dispute follows Spain’s closure of airspace to flights related to U.S. operations in Iran and reflects broader tensions over what President Donald Trump has repeatedly described as insufficient support from NATO allies in ongoing conflicts.
