Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Brussels on Thursday for a gathering of NATO foreign ministers. This visit comes amid high anxiety over the Trump administration’s approach to Europe, including the war in Ukraine, relations with Russia and President Trump’s growing trade war with the continent. Mr. Rubio’s visit to NATO is the first by a senior Trump administration official this year. US-Europe relations have shifted from close cooperation during the Biden era to mistrust and acrimony under Mr. Trump. NATO officials may appreciate conferring with Mr. Rubio, who is considered the most pro-alliance member of Mr. Trump’s national security team. As a senator in 2023, Mr. Rubio cosponsored legislation requiring presidential approval from the Senate to withdraw from the NATO alliance. Former aides say Mr. Trump has privately discussed taking that step, which would weaken the 32-nation military alliance formed to counter Russia. Mr. Rubio is seen as someone who downplays Trump’s ideas and translates them into more realistic policies. Despite this, Trump’s agenda views Europe as economically exploiting the US and culturally out of sync with his political movement and desiring business with Putin’s Russia. A day before his visit, Trump announced 20 percent tariffs on imports from the European Union. Mr. Rubio is expected at the NATO meeting to call for a swift end to the war in Ukraine. European leaders fear that Mr. Trump will appease Mr. Putin. Mr. Rubio will most likely reiterate Mr. Trump’s demand that NATO countries increase their military spending to 5 percent of their gross domestic product. Mr. Trump and other top American officials believe that NATO relies too heavily on the US for protection. This issue was reinforced recently by a discussion among top Trump administration officials on Signal, where the US expressed its frustration with European countries for not funding their own defense. Mr. Trump has warned that he might not defend NATO countries that do not spend enough on their militaries. There is additional tension because Mr. Trump wants to acquire Greenland, which is a NATO member. A recent visit by Mr. Vance to the island concluded that military action was not under consideration. Denmark’s foreign minister will also attend the gathering in Brussels; however, it is uncertain if he and Mr. Rubio will discuss Greenland. Danish officials state that Greenland’s fate cannot be negotiated independently because the island has a right to self-determination. Mr. Rubio will be joined in Brussels by the new US ambassador to NATO, Mr. Matthew G. Whitaker

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/us/politics/rubio-visits-nato.html