Rubio visits Portugal, praising a 'great ally' and looking to build deeper ties
Summary
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Portugal as part of a tour of NATO allies to strengthen relations and thank Portugal for allowing the U.S. to use the Lajes Field air base for military operations related to the Iran conflict. Portugal has given conditional permission for the base’s use, unlike Spain, which refused, leading to criticism from President Donald Trump.Key Facts
- Marco Rubio is visiting Portugal after stops in Iceland and Greece, completing a trip to NATO allies.
- Portugal allows the U.S. to use Lajes Field air base in the Azores for military refueling flights related to the Iran war.
- Spain refused to permit U.S. military use of its bases for attacks on Iran.
- Portugal’s government granted this approval under conditions that exclude illegal hostile actions.
- Some Portuguese political groups oppose the base’s use, leading to a legal review by the attorney general’s office.
- Portugal has about 25,000 military personnel, spends just over 2% of its GDP on defense, and plans to increase spending to around 3%.
- Lajes Field has been used by the U.S. since World War II and remains important for trans-Atlantic military flights.
- Rubio stressed the need for strong NATO allies and a strong Europe during his tour.
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