Rubio, in Iceland, calls island central to North Atlantic security
Version 2: New reporting adds Rubio's own remarks in Reykjavik that Iceland's location is critical to the defense of Europe and the U.S. homeland and that Washington is open to talks on closer cooperation, along with Reuters' framing of Iceland as central to North Atlantic security and The Wall Street Journal's framing of the trip as part of an expanding U.S. military footprint in the Arctic.
In short
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Icelandic officials in Reykjavik, saying Iceland's location plays a critical role in the defense of Europe and the U.S. homeland and that Washington is open to talks on closer cooperation. The stop opens a three-nation NATO tour that will also take him to Greece and Portugal before he returns to Washington on Thursday. Unease persists in Iceland over the Trump administration's Arctic intentions, even after a deal last month eased Trump's designs on neighbouring Greenland.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a three-nation tour of NATO allies with a stop in Iceland, arriving at Keflavik Airport, where he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Thorgerour Katrín Gunnarsdottir and U.S. Ambassador William Long, the Associated Press reported. Rubio called Iceland “a good friend,” and the AP said he offered no hint of tensions with the island, a NATO member that has no army. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Speaking in Reykjavik on Tuesday, Rubio said Iceland's location “plays a critical role in the defense, both of Europe, but also the homeland of the United States because of geography,” adding: “We would be open to having those conversations to see what more we can do together.” Bloomberg reported that the two countries are keen to foster closer cooperation on security and defense, and a Reuters headline said Rubio described Iceland as central to North Atlantic security and advocated closer ties. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
The Wall Street Journal reported that the visit seeks to deepen cooperation with a country rattled by President Trump's threats against neighbouring Greenland, and framed the trip as part of a U.S. effort to expand its military footprint in the Arctic. Iceland lies about 180 miles from Greenland, according to the AP. [ 2 , 3 , 8 ]
Unease in Iceland over the Trump administration's Arctic intentions persists even after a deal was reached last month to ease Trump's designs on neighbouring Greenland, the AP reported. Before that deal was signed, Iceland was an occasional feature of Trump's comments and social media complaints about NATO allies not doing enough to support the U.S., the AP said. Last month, Trump posted a map showing the colours of the U.S. flag sprawling across all of North America and extending to Greenland and Iceland; in response, Iceland's foreign minister summoned U.S. Ambassador Billy Long and said she made it clear the post was unacceptable, according to the reports. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Rubio said on social media that his Iceland visit was meant to “advance our shared priorities: a secure Arctic, stronger commercial and energy ties, and closer defense cooperation,” and he called all three countries he will visit “strong allies” that are important for protecting U.S. national interests. In remarks to reporters before leaving Washington, however, he gave no indication that his mission was to clean up or clarify the administration's strategy on the Arctic, NATO or Europe, the AP reported. [ 2 , 3 ]
The reports noted that Rubio has often been called upon to mollify and reassure U.S. partners and allies after undiplomatic comments by Trump, including referring multiple times to Canada as the 51st state and threatening to take over Greenland, a self-governing territory of NATO ally Denmark. Rubio will also visit Greece and Portugal before returning to Washington on Thursday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The visit is a test of whether Washington can reassure a NATO ally that has no army and sits about 180 miles from Greenland, after Trump's social media post about the U.S. flag spreading across the region. The Wall Street Journal frames the trip as part of a wider U.S. effort to expand its military footprint in the Arctic, a subject that also touches Iceland's neighbors and NATO allies in Europe. Rubio's later stops in Greece and Portugal are likely to draw similar questions about U.S. strategy in Europe.
Key facts
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a three-nation tour of NATO allies with a stop in Iceland. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Rubio said Iceland's location plays a critical role in the defense of Europe and the U.S. homeland and that the U.S. would be open to conversations on closer cooperation. [ 5 , 6 ]
- Rubio will also visit Greece and Portugal before returning to Washington on Thursday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Rubio called Iceland “a good friend.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Unease persists in Iceland over the Trump administration's Arctic intentions, even after a deal was reached last month to ease Trump's designs on neighbouring Greenland. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 ]
- Trump posted a map last month showing the colours of the U.S. flag across North America extending to Greenland and Iceland; Iceland's foreign minister summoned the U.S. ambassador and said the post was unacceptable. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Iceland is a NATO member without an army and lies about 180 miles from Greenland. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Wall Street Journal reported the visit seeks to deepen cooperation with a country rattled by Trump's threats against neighbouring Greenland, as the U.S. expands its military footprint in the Arctic. [ 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Rubio began a three-nation tour of NATO allies with a stop in Iceland. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Rubio will also visit Greece and Portugal before returning to Washington on Thursday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Rubio called Iceland “a good friend.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- A deal was reached last month to ease Trump's designs on neighbouring Greenland. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Unease persists in Iceland about the Trump administration's Arctic intentions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 ]
- Trump last month posted a map showing the colours of the U.S. flag across North America extending to Greenland and Iceland. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Iceland's foreign minister summoned the U.S. ambassador and said the post was unacceptable. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Iceland is a NATO member that has no army. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Rubio said Iceland's location plays a critical role in the defense of Europe and of the U.S. homeland, and that the U.S. would be open to conversations on what more the two countries can do together. [ 5 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- The terms of the deal reached last month to ease Trump's designs on Greenland. The documents mention the deal but give no details of its terms.
- Whether Rubio's visit is intended to clean up or clarify the administration's strategy on the Arctic, NATO or Europe. Rubio gave no indication of this before leaving Washington, the reports said.
- What specific defense or security cooperation the two sides might agree to. Bloomberg and Reuters report openness to talks but no decisions, and no other document specifies an outcome.
- Whether the U.S. is seeking new basing or military infrastructure in Iceland. The Wall Street Journal summary refers to an expanding U.S. military footprint in the Arctic, but the documents give no detail on what, if anything, is planned in Iceland.
- The spelling of the Icelandic foreign minister's name. One document writes Thorgerour Katrín Gunnarsdottir, while two others write Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdóttir.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Associated Press reports Rubio has begun a three-nation NATO tour with a stop in Iceland and that unease lingers over Trump's Arctic intentions. [ 1 ]
- The Seattle Times carries the AP report, including Trump's flag map post and Iceland's summoning of the U.S. ambassador. [ 2 ]
- The Boston Globe carries the AP report. [ 3 ]
- Reuters reports Rubio saying Iceland is central to North Atlantic security and advocating closer ties; Bloomberg reports Rubio saying the U.S. and Iceland can deepen defense cooperation. [ 4 , 5 ]
- Reuters publishes a Spanish-language version of its report on Rubio's remarks. [ 6 ]
- The Associated Press publishes a Spanish-language report on Rubio seeking to calm fears in Iceland after Trump's social media posts. [ 7 ]
- The Wall Street Journal reports the U.S. is looking to Iceland as it expands its military footprint in the Arctic. [ 8 ]