Fact Check: Did Marco Rubio say the US will stop sharing intelligence with the UK?
WASHINGTON, DC: A viral post claims Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that the United States will halt vital intelligence sharing with the United Kingdom over growing distrust.
The allegation is gaining traction at a time of renewed scrutiny over the US–UK "special relationship,” as ties face fresh pressure in April 2026 under Donald Trump’s administration and Keir Starmer’s Labour government.
Claim: Marco Rubio declares that US will no longer share vital intelligence with the UK
Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes a firm stance, declaring that the U.S. will no longer share vital intelligence with the UK due to a growing distrust. After years of leaks and counterproductive global policies, Rubio makes it clear: America First means protecting our secrets… pic.twitter.com/Ccfqh7M7j4
— Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) April 19, 2026
According to a viral X post, Marco Rubio has taken a firm stance, declaring that the United States will no longer share vital intelligence with the United Kingdom.
The post stated, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes a firm stance, declaring that the U.S. will no longer share vital intelligence with the UK due to a growing distrust.”
It further added, “After years of leaks and counterproductive global policies, Rubio makes it clear: America First means protecting our secrets from allies who haven’t earned that trust.”
The post includes an image showing Rubio alongside Keir Starmer, with an overlaid quote that reads, “Marco Rubio just said, ‘We have stopped sharing much of the intelligence with the British government because we no longer find them trustworthy.’”
It is worth noting that similar claims have circulated online since at least late 2025. Posts on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram in August and October also quoted Washington’s top diplomat as saying, “We’ve stopped sharing a lot of intelligence with the UK Government because we no longer see them as reliable.”
Fact Check: State Department spokesperson debunks claims about Marco Rubio
The quote attributed to Marco Rubio circulating online in April 2026 is a fabricated statement that first emerged around October 2025. The image shared alongside the claim shows Rubio with another political figure and overlays a debunked quote, a meme that has continued to circulate despite official denials and no evidence of any major disruption in the longstanding Five Eyes intelligence partnership. The post falsely alleges that Rubio announced the United States is halting “vital intelligence sharing” with the United Kingdom due to distrust.
In reality, there were separate reports in late 2025 suggesting that the United Kingdom had considered limiting certain intelligence exchanges with the United States over disagreements related to US military strikes against suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, which some in London viewed as potentially illegal or escalatory. Rubio publicly dismissed those reports as “false” and reaffirmed the strength of the US–UK intelligence relationship. A State Department spokesperson also told Reuters in an email that the quote was “fabricated and should not be attributed in any way to the Secretary or the department.”
Meanwhile, broader political tensions have contributed to the spread of such narratives. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has reportedly resisted being drawn into US or Israeli actions against Iran, while US President Donald Trump has criticized the UK for not providing stronger support and has at times threatened elements of the US–UK trade relationship. Despite this sharper rhetoric, no formal suspension or “halt” of intelligence sharing has been announced, and the Five Eyes alliance remains fully intact.
