Rubio visits Portugal as use of Azores base faces legal scrutiny
The US secretary of state praised Portuguese defence investment and economic ties, while prosecutors examine the legality of US use of Lajes Field.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Portugal on 8 October 2026, completing a tour that took him to three NATO allies. His visit comes as Portuguese prosecutors examine whether American use of Lajes Field in the Azores for operations connected to the Iran war complies with the law.
Rubio is expected to express thanks for Portugal’s permission to use the base. The attorney general’s office said its examination followed a formal complaint from Left Bloc, a small left-wing party. Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said the authorisation excluded any military action that breached international law.
In Lisbon, Rubio met Prime Minister Luís Montenegro; neither addressed reporters. Rubio welcomed Portugal’s defence investment, arguing that military spending was not an expression of hostility and that NATO needed sufficient strength and capabilities to maintain its deterrent role.
He also presented Portugal as a favourable European entry point for US technology businesses, citing its geography and economy. On cooperation against drug trafficking, Rubio said Portuguese authorities had seized 200 tonnes of cocaine in recent years while working with US agencies.
