WATCH: Rubio says NATO allies must contribute more to defense | Trump confirmation hearings

Secretary of state nominee Marco Rubio said Wednesday that other NATO members must increase spending in the alliance as well as to their own defense, reiterating a position often taken by President-elect Donald Trump.

“What’s important for the United States is not just to have defense allies, it’s to have capable defense allies — allies who are capable of defending their region,” Rubio said.

He then raised the question, noting it’s not an official policy position, of whether the role of the U.S. in NATO should be “the primary defense role or as a backstop to aggression" in Europe.

The discussion was in response to a question by Senate Committee on Foreign Relations ranking member Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who asked if Rubio would commit to not withdrawing from NATO without approval by Congress, as required by law.

Rubio, the senior senator from Florida, was a one-time Republican presidential hopeful who ran against Trump. A former member of the Senate panel holding his confirmation hearing, Rubio also serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Newsletters

PBS News podcasts

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app

Find more from PBS News at

Subscribe to our YouTube channel