Trump Berates NATO Allies, Praises Erdogan at Ankara Summit
ANKARA, Turkey — President Donald Trump arrived in the Turkish capital on Tuesday for the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit and immediately set a confrontational tone, berating European allies for refusing to support the U.S.-led war against Iran while praising his host, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as a “strong leader.”
Speaking alongside Erdogan at the Bestepe Presidential Compound, Trump said he was “very disappointed with NATO” and suggested he might not have attended the summit if not for his personal relationship with the Turkish leader. “Frankly, if it weren’t held in Türkiye, where my friend happens to be a very strong leader, it’s possible that I wouldn’t have attended,” Trump said, according to Asharq Al-Awsat.
Trump’s ‘Loyalty’ Test
The U.S. president characterized his requests for allied support in the Iran war as a “test” of NATO loyalty. “I was testing to see whether or not they’d be there, because I’ve long said that we helped them,” Trump said. He specifically called out Italy, Germany, and France for denying U.S. forces access to their military bases for strikes on Iran. “Italy turned us down, and Germany turned us down, and France turned us down.”
The criticism stems from the refusal of several European allies — including Italy, Germany, and France — to allow the U.S. to use their military bases for operations against Iran following the outbreak of the war on February 28, 2026. Italy specifically denied permission for U.S. military aircraft to land at Sigonella air base in Sicily because Washington had not sought prior authorization from Rome, as Al Jazeera reported.
Trump’s demand for “loyalty” represents a fundamental shift from the traditional alliance framework based on collective security under Article 5. At a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on June 24, Trump declared: “We don’t need their money — we don’t need anything. I just want loyalty.”
Turkey Emerges as Key Beneficiary
While Trump criticized European allies, he extended a warm embrace to Erdogan, describing their relationship as built on “chemistry.” The most significant outcome of their bilateral meeting was Trump’s announcement that Washington would lift CAATSA sanctions imposed on Turkey in 2020 over its purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems, and would consider selling F-35 fighter jets to the NATO ally.
“We’re going to be taking the sanctions off,” Trump told reporters, adding that his secretary of state and Treasury secretary were working on the matter. “Türkiye has been, in many ways, much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal.”
Erdogan confirmed the development, stating through a translator that “Mr. Trump has also personally given us his word on this matter” regarding F-35 delivery, as reported by Gulf News.
The move would represent a complete reversal of U.S. policy. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after acquiring the Russian S-400 system, which the U.S. argued posed a security risk to the stealth fighter jet. Congress passed a law prohibiting any F-35 sales to Turkey as long as Ankara retains the S-400s, creating potential legal hurdles for the administration.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately opposed the prospective sale, telling CNN it would “destroy the power balance in the Middle East, because Türkiye, I think, has aggressive aspirations.”
European Allies on the Defensive
European leaders arrived in Ankara aiming to avoid a confrontation that could further damage NATO’s credibility. In a bid to demonstrate their commitment to defense spending, allies unveiled billions of dollars in new arms deals ahead of Trump’s arrival. The UK and the Netherlands signed a $3.2 billion maritime partnership, and NATO announced a new strategic airlift fleet of Airbus A400M transport planes.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized that European countries are “delivering” by bolstering military budgets, noting a 20% annual spending hike by European allies and Canada in 2025. Five NATO members are projected to spend more than 3.5% of GDP on core defense in 2026, meeting the alliance’s new target.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani adopted a strategy of non-response to Trump’s provocations, telling La Stampa: “Trump speaks for himself. We have a US president who loves to provoke, especially on social media. We have decided to stop responding to these remarks.”
Greenland and Other Friction Points
Trump also reopened a diplomatic wound with NATO ally Denmark by reiterating his stance that Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded firmly, saying she expects allies “to respect Denmark’s sovereignty and accept that Greenland is not for sale.”
The Pentagon added to the tension by announcing a six-month review of the U.S. military presence in Europe, focused on Europe’s progress in self-defense and whether the U.S. has full base access and overflight rights.
Ukraine’s Plea for Support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, attending the summit, urged NATO to step up air defense support as Ukraine struggles with shortages of crucial interceptors to shoot down Russian missiles. “Please let more determination and more decisions for air defense be one of the key outcomes of this NATO summit,” he said.
Trump said he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the summit and believes “they both want to make a deal” to end the war in Ukraine. He is expected to meet with Zelenskyy on the summit sidelines on Wednesday.
What’s Next
The summit continues Wednesday with a single working session of NATO leaders, where defense spending, Ukraine aid, and the future of U.S. force levels in Europe will dominate the agenda. The Trump administration has called for a reboot to “NATO 3.0,” though specifics remain unclear. The alliance faces an existential question: can it survive if the U.S. continues to demand loyalty to American military priorities while stepping back from its commitment to defend Europe?