Rubio champions diplomacy and downplays differences as he begins three-nation NATO tour in Iceland — SkimNews
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- Marco Rubio began a three-nation NATO tour in Reykjavik on Tuesday, meeting Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdóttir at Hofdi House — the site of the 1986 Reagan-Gorbachev summit — days before its 40th anniversary.
- Rubio told Iceland the U.S. has "no designs" on the island and would not act there without its consent, noting the U.S. maintained a permanent military presence at Keflavik base until 2006 and that "priorities have shifted again."
- Iceland's concerns were triggered by a social media post showing a U.S. flag-colored map extending to Iceland and Greenland, prompting Gunnarsdóttir to summon U.S. Ambassador Billy Long; both sides said Tuesday's talks had eased the tensions.
- Trump had mistakenly named Iceland four times while speaking about Greenland, and thousands of Icelanders signed a petition opposing Long after he joked about Iceland becoming the 52nd U.S. state — a quip he has since apologized for.
- Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece — Rubio's next stop — faces misconduct allegations reported by The Wall Street Journal, including claims she said the U.S. could undermine the Greek government and promoted a specific Greek construction company's business interests.
- Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he will investigate the Guilfoyle allegations and call for her dismissal if confirmed; Rubio has previously defended her as "an incredible advocate for the president's agenda."
- The Trump administration views Greece as central to promoting and exporting U.S.-produced liquefied natural gas to Southeastern and Central Europe.
Why it matters: Rubio's Iceland stop attempts to repair frayed ties with small NATO allies rattled by Trump's territorial rhetoric, with the "no action without consent" pledge resetting the conversation ahead of renewed military and commercial talks. The pending House Foreign Affairs Committee investigation into Ambassador Guilfoyle threatens to overshadow the Athens leg of the tour and the administration's LNG-export agenda, with Rep. Gregory Meeks pledging to seek her dismissal if the WSJ-reported allegations hold up.
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