The war in Iran is putting NATO under severe strain, despite diplomatic - and other - efforts by NATO Secretary General Rutte, who is struggling to hold together the fragments of an Alliance exposed to the steamroller of Trump-era policies. The latest blow to NATO’s foundations has come from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio - certainly not a hawk within the Trump Administration (and a likely Republican candidate in the next presidential race). As reported by ANSA, in a striking interview with the friendly outlet Fox News, Rubio stated that the United States will need to reassess its relationship with the Alliance once the war against Iran is over.

“I believe that, unfortunately, there is no doubt that once this conflict is over, we will have to review this relationship. We will have to reconsider the value that NATO holds for our country within this Alliance,” he said, adding that it will ultimately be up to President Donald Trump to decide. “If we have reached a point where the NATO Alliance prevents us from using bases, where we can no longer use them effectively to defend U.S. interests, then NATO is a one-way street.”

These are very strong statements, following several refusals to allow U.S. assets to use infrastructure and airspace in European NATO member states - from France to Spain and even Italy - highlighting Washington’s growing intolerance toward allied constraints, even when firmly justified by historically friendly nations. Beyond this, the situation is truly dramatic: NATO is experiencing one of the lowest points in its history and appears to be progressively losing relevance in the face of an increasingly dynamic international environment, shaped by power politics and variable-geometry relationships.

Now more than ever, a renewed and stronger push toward European integration - especially in defense - appears necessary.

Update

In an interview with The Telegraph published this morning ago, President Donald Trump stated that he is seriously considering withdrawing the United States from NATO.

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