Trump still has to decide how to respond to US allies, says Rubio

WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Donald Trump has not yet decided how to react to the refusal of some US allies to let the American military use their bases, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday.

“If one of the main reasons the US is part of NATO is the ability to deploy forces in Europe that we could project to other emergency situations, and that is no longer the case, at least with regard to certain NATO members, this is a problem that needs to be examined,” he told journalists during a visit to Rome.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a political-military defense alliance that includes the United States and many European countries (32 states in total).

Rubio added that “ultimately it is up to the president to make this decision,” specifying: “He has not yet made these decisions.”

Donald Trump has strongly criticized several European allies, including Spain and Germany, as well as Italy, for not coming to the aid of the United States in protecting the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively blocked by Iran.

He specifically targeted Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of his closest European allies, for refusing to involve her country in the war against Iran, saying he was “shocked” and disappointed by her lack of “courage.”

Rubio met with her in Rome on Friday but the two officials did not go into detail on the matter, he said.

Regarding Germany, the announcement of the withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from the country was “already planned” and marked a return to 2022 levels, according to Rubio.

Donald Trump has threatened to significantly reduce US military personnel in Germany and other European allies, stating that he wants Europe to take on greater responsibility in defense rather than depending on Washington.

Earlier this week, during a visit to Armenia, Ms. Meloni said regarding this plan to withdraw American troops, “It is a decision that does not depend on me and with which I disagree.”

“We have global obligations. We have troop deployments around the world. And these evolve and change constantly,” Rubio argued on the subject.

“Even if we may be the most powerful country in the world and we may have the most resources, our resources are not unlimited,” he argued.

“We must always allocate our resources around the world, including our military resources, based on what serves the national interest,” he said. “This is a decision that the president must make, especially in light of recent developments concerning certain NATO countries and the position they have taken regarding the United States.”

Italy recently denied permission for certain American combat mission aircraft to land at their base in Sigonella, Sicily. Under agreements with the United States, some Italian bases can be used by American military aircraft, but only for logistical purposes.