Rubio says U.S. would “never violate the sovereignty of any country” while defending military cooperation with Portugal

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that Washington would “never violate the sovereignty of any country,” as he defended U.S. use of Portugal’s Lajes Field during operations linked to the Iran war.

Speaking alongside Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel in Lisbon, Rubio said existing protocols govern the U.S. military presence and use of bases in Portugal and that Washington follows those agreements with its NATO allies.

Rubio also backed the F-35 as Portugal considers replacing its F-16 fleet, while stressing that the final choice belongs to the Portuguese government.