U.S. President Donald Trump once again used a public appearance to target NATO allies, this time from Ankara, where he appeared alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. According to his remarks, some member states failed to meet Washington’s expectations during the conflict with Iran, a claim Trump presented as evidence of a lack of reciprocity within the alliance.
Trump says he was “testing” allies
During remarks to the media in the Turkish capital, Trump said he had “tested” allied countries to see whether they would stand by the United States at a difficult moment.
According to his version, the United States has for years been the guarantor of its allies’ security, while the response he expected from partners in this case did not come to the same extent.
Direct accusations against several European countries
Trump said he was “very disappointed” by the stance of NATO countries and criticized the fact that some of them chose not to become involved in the conflict with Iran.
He mentioned Italy, Germany and France by name, claiming that these countries refused to support the United States. Along the same lines, he also raised the question of why Washington, in his view, spends large sums on the alliance while not receiving the same support when it asks for it.
Britain also in the crosshairs
In his remarks, the U.S. president also commented on the decision by outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to allow the use of British air bases by American forces only for strikes of a defensive nature against Iran.
Trump described this as a “very unpopular” decision, signaling that his dissatisfaction was not limited to several EU capitals, but extended more broadly to the way allies are responding to Washington’s requests.
A political message also for the host country
Trump added that if the NATO summit had not been taking place in Turkey, he might not have attended at all. The remark was made in Erdoğan’s presence, whom he referred to as a “friend” and a “very strong leader.”
This places even greater emphasis on the political weight Trump is giving to his relationship with Ankara, at a time when relations within the alliance are showing open tensions, at least in the U.S. president’s public rhetoric.
The remarks from Ankara confirm Trump’s familiar line on NATO: conditional support, public pressure on allies, and the use of the alliance as an instrument of political negotiation.
Beyond the harsh tone, it remains to be seen whether these positions will produce concrete consequences at the summit or remain part of a pressure strategy that Trump has long used toward Western partners.