US-Portugal

Rubio Pitches the F-35 in Lisbon but Signs Nothing, as Portugal's Fighter Choice and the Lajes Inquiry Stay Open

Marco Rubio urged Portugal to buy the F-35 on his first visit to Lisbon, but no agreement was signed. The government says the fighter choice is not made, Lajes was not discussed, and the prosecutors' inquiry goes on.

8 October 2026

Defence

The Lajes Agreement Everyone Cites Was Signed 75 Years Ago and Repealed in 1995, and the Text That Replaced It Opens a Narrower Door Than Most People Assume

Portugal and the United States signed the Lajes defence agreement on 6 September 1951. Article XI of the 1995 accord repealed it by name. The text now in force rolls over every year, and it sorts American requests into three categories with very different answers.

6 September 2026

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