Rome: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday raised questions about allies' lack of support for the United States' military efforts to address Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Rubio made the remarks in a press meeting after he met separately with Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as part of his two-day trip to Rome. The trip aimed at improving bilateral ties after a period of tensions over the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Rubio emphasized that President Donald Trump has been striving to tackle Iran's nuclear ambition and has repeatedly expressed frustration over allies not acceding to his calls for support for the ongoing military campaign against Iran, including naval assistance to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Pointing to Iran's push to control the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio stated that allowing a country to claim control over an international waterway would set a precedent that could be repeated globally. He urged that more than just strongly worded statements are needed to address this issue.
The top diplomat specifically mentioned Spain as an ally that denied the U.S. the use of military bases during a contingency. He highlighted that one of the advantages of the U.S. being in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is the use of European military bases in crises. Rubio noted that if this advantage is undermined, particularly by some NATO members, it poses a problem that needs examination.
Amidst U.S. frustration over NATO allies' lack of support for the anti-Iran operations, the Trump administration decided to pull out some 5,000 troops from Germany, where about 36,000 American service members are stationed. Rubio clarified that during his talks with Meloni, they did not discuss the possibility of withdrawing U.S. troops from Italy, stating that such decisions are made by the president.
Trump has also expressed discomfort over South Korea's lack of response to his call for naval support to secure the Strait of Hormuz. He pointed out that South Korea was not being helpful despite the U.S. having stationed its troops in the country, which is located near North Korea's nuclear force.