United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet foreign ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after President Donald Trump sharply criticized the alliance over divisions surrounding the Iran war. Rubio said Trump is 'very disappointed' with members that refused to allow the United States to use military bases on their territory, singling out Spain. Trump has questioned the value of the alliance and even raised the possibility of withdrawing from it.

Tensions have grown following Washington’s announcement that it will withdraw 5,000 troops from Europe and scale back certain military deployments, including a planned missile deployment to Germany. The decision, linked by United States officials to criticism from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the Iran war strategy, has unsettled European allies and raised concerns about the United States commitment to collective defense.

European ministers meeting in Sweden are expected to emphasize their willingness to contribute more to regional security and support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when conditions allow. Senior military officials have sought to reassure allies that any reduction in United States forces would occur gradually, giving European nations time to strengthen their own defense capabilities.