Secretary of State Marco Rubio flew to France to meet G7 counterparts after President Donald Trump publicly criticized NATO allies for their reluctance or refusal to join the US in the Iran conflict, a stance that has drawn deep scepticism from close partners.
Rubio faces a tough diplomatic assignment: persuading top foreign ministers to support the US approach to a war that most other nations have questioned. The task was made harder by Trump’s sharp denunciations of NATO at a Cabinet meeting, where he complained that member countries had failed to step up. He said, in blunt terms, that the United States was ‘very disappointed with NATO because NATO has done absolutely nothing’ and later suggested he ‘never thought we needed them,’ framing the episode as a test.
Among G7 members, Britain, Canada, France, Germany and Italy are NATO countries; Japan is not. Rubio traveled to the summit near Paris hours after Trump’s remarks, aiming both to secure backing on the Middle East and to reassure allies unsettled by recent rhetoric and actions.
Repairing strained relations is part of Rubio’s brief. European partners remain sensitive to past frictions — from Mr Trump’s comment about buying Greenland to lingering questions over US commitment to Ukraine — and the current Middle East crisis has added new stress to transatlantic ties.
Before departing Washington Rubio said he looked forward to discussing shared security concerns and later posted on X that he would address the Middle East situation and the Russia-Ukraine war with fellow ministers.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, noting rising defence spending among allies, said Europe and Canada had relied too heavily on US military power and that a change in mindset is underway. He reiterated NATO’s opposition to a nuclear-armed Iran and said the alliance has long recognised the danger posed by Iran’s missile programme, adding that current US measures are degrading both nuclear and missile capabilities.
France, which is hosting the G7 at an abbey near Versailles, has been particularly sceptical about the war. French defence chief Gen. Fabien Mandon complained that allies were not informed about the start of hostilities and said many were ‘surprised by an American ally’ whose actions affect their security and interests. Still, France’s defence ministry reported that 35 countries participated in talks Mandon hosted on reopening the Strait of Hormuz ‘once the intensity of hostilities has sufficiently decreased.’
Rubio argued that nations concerned about international law should take action in light of Iran’s threats to shipping. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged caution to avoid further destabilisation, called for protecting economic freedom, and advocated for a sustainable end to hostilities while maintaining continued support for Ukraine. He said he expected a unified stance from the G7 on the Middle East and warned that allowing support for Ukraine to fray would be a strategic mistake for Euro-Atlantic security.
