Rubio calls Amnesty International "a fraud" over a question on Lajes air base; Amnesty USA says he is avoiding accountability
Asked about Amnesty International's warning on U.S. use of Portugal's Lajes air base in the Iran war, Marco Rubio called the group a fraud. Amnesty USA says he dodged the question; a conservative commentator praised his answer.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
The United States used Lajes Field in the Azores during its war with Iran under what the Associated Press describes as conditional approval from Portugal's government. After a complaint from the Left Bloc party, Portugal's attorney general's office said it was looking into whether that use was lawful. The reporter's question cited that inquiry and Amnesty's statement. Rubio said he could not comment on the prosecutor's process and that the United States follows the protocols that govern its bases in Portugal. Amnesty USA says Amnesty has found that a U.S. strike on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, should be investigated as a potential war crime, and points to its published research on abuses by Iranian authorities.
People in this case
Marco RubioDirectly involved
Timeline
2 timeline entries on this page. Dates: October 8, 2026 to October 14, 2026
October 2026
Rubio calls Amnesty International a fraud at a Lisbon news conference
Incident
Asked about U.S. use of Lajes air base and Amnesty's statement, Rubio says he cannot comment on the Portuguese prosecutor's inquiry, says "Amnesty International is a fraud" and says the group should focus on the Iranian government's killings of protesters.
[01]U.S. Department of State
State Department transcript of Rubio's joint news conference with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel at the Palacio das Necessidades in Lisbon on October 8, 2026. A reporter asks about U.S. use of Lajes air base, the Portuguese prosecutor's inquiry and Amnesty International's statement; Rubio answers.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel at a Joint Press Availability · U.S. Department of StateTranscript; question on Lajes air base and Rubio's answer near the end[02]Associated Press
Associated Press report on Rubio's October 8 visit to Lisbon. It describes Portugal's conditional approval for U.S. use of Lajes Field during the Iran war and the attorney general's inquiry opened after a complaint from the Left Bloc party.
Rubio says US pressure on NATO allies to boost defense spending is 'not hostile' · Associated PressFull articleAmnesty International USA responds to Rubio
Reaction
In a blog post by Amanda Klasing, Amnesty USA says Rubio did not answer the reporter's question, lists its research on abuses by Iranian authorities and calls his response a playbook for avoiding accountability.
[03]Amnesty International USA
Amnesty International USA blog post by Amanda Klasing, its national director of government relations and advocacy, responding to Rubio's October 8 remark. It describes the reporter's question, lists Amnesty's research on Iran, and discusses the Minab school strike and U.S. policy toward the International Criminal Court.
Marco Rubio Called Amnesty International a "Fraud." We Call His Bluff. · Amnesty International USAFull blog post
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Amnesty International is a fraud, and it should be focused on the Iranian government's killings of protesters.
What is disputed
Amnesty International USA says Amnesty has published extensive research on the Iranian authorities' crackdown on protesters, executions and potential war crimes, including a report last month on crimes against humanity during Iran's 2022 uprising (Amnesty International USA (opens in a new tab)).
Sources (2)
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel at a Joint Press Availability · U.S. Department of StateTranscript; question on Lajes air base and Rubio's answer near the end
- Marco Rubio Called Amnesty International a "Fraud." We Call His Bluff. · Amnesty International USAFull blog post
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 responses. Newest first.
Amnesty International USAHuman rights organization; blog post by Amanda Klasing, national director of government relations and advocacyDirectly involved Before this statement
Amnesty USA says a journalist asked Rubio about a statement from Amnesty's Portuguese office urging Portugal to keep the United States from using Lajes air base if that would aid breaches of international law, and that Rubio called Amnesty a fraud instead of answering. The post lists Amnesty's research on the Iranian authorities' crackdown on protesters.
"So when he calls a human rights organization a fraud for doing its job, that's not confusion. That's just his playbook for avoiding accountability."
CondemnedResponding to: Amnesty International is a fraud, and it should be focused on the Iranian government's killings of protesters.
Full statement and sources
Amnesty USA says Rubio answered a question about U.S. use of Lajes air base by attacking Amnesty, points to its research on abuses by Iranian authorities, and calls his response a playbook for avoiding accountability.
After the statement
The post links to video of the news conference and urges the U.S. government to protect the people of Iran and across the Middle East.
Marco Rubio Called Amnesty International a "Fraud." We Call His Bluff. · Amnesty International USAFull blog postSecretary of State Marco Rubio and Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel at a Joint Press Availability · U.S. Department of StateTranscript; question on Lajes air base and Rubio's answer near the endWhy this label?
The case looks at Rubio calling Amnesty International a fraud. Amnesty USA rejects the remark as a tactic to deflect questions about U.S. conduct, so we labeled it a condemnation.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Eric DaughertyConservative commentator and chief content officer of RightLine News and Florida's Voice Before this statement
Daugherty posted video of Rubio's answer on X with excerpts of Rubio's words, ending with "Amnesty International is a FRAUD!"
"It's just another globalist organization that cozies up to Islamists and ignores the REAL crimes committed against humanity. Marco is spot-on"
Defended or excusedResponding to: Amnesty International is a fraud, and it should be focused on the Iranian government's killings of protesters.
Full statement and sources
Daugherty shares video of Rubio's answer, calls Amnesty a globalist organization that ignores real crimes against humanity, and says Rubio is right.
After the statement
He adds that human rights groups go silent when a regime kills its own people and calls Rubio the best secretary of state the country has had.
Eric Daugherty posts Rubio's answer on Amnesty InternationalText of post 2108180614964818220, with video of Rubio's answerWhy this label?
The case looks at Rubio calling Amnesty International a fraud. Daugherty endorses the remark and adds his own criticism of Amnesty, so we labeled it a defense.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(4)
Original text
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel at a Joint Press Availability
Relevant passage: Transcript; question on Lajes air base and Rubio's answer near the end
About this source
State Department transcript of Rubio's joint news conference with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel at the Palacio das Necessidades in Lisbon on October 8, 2026. A reporter asks about U.S. use of Lajes air base, the Portuguese prosecutor's inquiry and Amnesty International's statement; Rubio answers.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Rubio says US pressure on NATO allies to boost defense spending is 'not hostile'
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Associated Press report on Rubio's October 8 visit to Lisbon. It describes Portugal's conditional approval for U.S. use of Lajes Field during the Iran war and the attorney general's inquiry opened after a complaint from the Left Bloc party.
- Author
- Matthew Lee and Barry Hatton
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Eric Daugherty posts Rubio's answer on Amnesty International
About this source
Daugherty's post on X sharing video of Rubio's answer in Lisbon, with excerpts of Rubio's words and Daugherty's own comments.
- Author
- Eric Daugherty
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Marco Rubio Called Amnesty International a "Fraud." We Call His Bluff.
Relevant passage: Full blog post
About this source
Amnesty International USA blog post by Amanda Klasing, its national director of government relations and advocacy, responding to Rubio's October 8 remark. It describes the reporter's question, lists Amnesty's research on Iran, and discusses the Minab school strike and U.S. policy toward the International Criminal Court.
- Author
- Amanda Klasing
- Published
- Accessed
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Rubio calls Amnesty International "a fraud" over a question on Lajes air base; Amnesty USA says he is avoiding accountability
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/rubio-calls-amnesty-international-a-fraud-over-a-question-on-lajes-air-base-amnesty-usa-says-he-is-avoiding-accountability
The Dispute Index. "Rubio calls Amnesty International "a fraud" over a question on Lajes air base; Amnesty USA says he is avoiding accountability". First published: 2026-10-26. Last updated: 2026-10-26. https://disputeindex.com/cases/rubio-calls-amnesty-international-a-fraud-over-a-question-on-lajes-air-base-amnesty-usa-says-he-is-avoiding-accountability