Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to France to meet his G7 counterparts after President Donald Trump lashed out at NATO allies for their reluctance or refusal to join the US in the Iran war — a conflict that many close partners have met with deep scepticism.
Rubio faces a difficult task persuading fellow top diplomats to back the US approach to the Iran conflict, which has drawn objections from nearly all other nations. Trump’s sharp criticism of NATO during a Cabinet meeting made that task harder. Among G7 members, Britain, Canada, France, Germany and Italy are NATO members; Japan is not.
Rubio departed Washington for the G7 gathering near Paris hours after Trump complained that NATO countries had not stepped up to assist the US and Israel in the Iran war. “We are very disappointed with NATO because NATO has done absolutely nothing,” Trump said, later adding that he “never thought we needed them” and that he was “more doing a test.”
Rubio must also repair relations with European allies who have faced public rebukes or threats from Trump and members of his administration. Europeans remain sensitive to earlier episodes — from Trump’s suggestion about buying Greenland to doubts about US commitment to Ukraine — and the Middle East conflict has added another strain.
Before leaving, Rubio said he looked forward to the meetings and later posted on X that he would discuss shared security concerns and ways to address the Middle East situation and the Russia-Ukraine war.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, noting increased defence spending by alliance members, said Europe and Canada had been overreliant on US military power and that a shift in mindset is taking hold. He reiterated that NATO opposes a nuclear-armed Iran and has long recognised the threat posed by Iran’s missile programme, saying current US actions are degrading both nuclear and missile capabilities.
France, hosting the G7 at an abbey near Versailles, has been highly sceptical of the war. French defence chief Gen. Fabien Mandon complained allies were not informed about the start of hostilities, saying they were “surprised by an American ally” whose actions affect their security and interests. Still, France’s defence ministry said 35 countries joined talks Mandon hosted on reopening the Strait of Hormuz “once the intensity of hostilities has sufficiently decreased.”
Rubio argued that countries concerned about international law should act given Iran’s threats to shipping. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged avoiding further destabilisation, protecting economic freedom, and seeking a sustainable end to hostilities while ensuring continued support for Ukraine. He said he expected a joint position on the Middle East and emphasised that support for Ukraine must not crumble, calling such an outcome a strategic mistake for Euro-Atlantic security.
