US President Donald Trump leveled harsh criticism at his allies during the NATO summit held in Ankara, the capital of Türkiye. Before the summit, Trump met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and said, "I'm not at all satisfied with NATO."
Trade threat to Spain
Trump specifically targeted Spain, calling the country "a terrible partner in NATO." "Spain is a lost cause. We no longer want to do any trade business with Spain," Trump said, instructing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to sever trade relations.
In March, Spain announced it would not allow the US to use joint military bases on its soil for operations against Iran, and closed its airspace to US planes involved in the war. Madrid took Trump's latest remarks "as usual" and said it had no intention of altering its "excellent" relationship with Washington.
The office of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez noted that the country has a trade deficit with the US and that economic ties are driven more by private companies than governments. The statement also emphasized that, as part of the European Union customs and trade union, individual EU members cannot be singled out.
European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill, for his part, said the EU expects the US to fulfill its commitments under the joint declaration signed last year.
No backing down on Greenland
While voicing his displeasure with Europe's stance on the war with Iran, Trump also held firm on his claim to Greenland, which belongs to NATO member Denmark. "Greenland is a big problem for us. We need it for the protection not only of the United States but the entire world," he said.
NATO Secretary General Rutte said the US and Denmark had agreed to come to the table to discuss the possibility of increasing the American presence on the Arctic island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had previously stated emphatically that Greenland is "not for sale." EU spokesperson Gill added, "Decisions regarding Greenland's future belong to the Greenlanders and the Danes."
Defense spending tops summit agenda
Washington's NATO allies aim to use the Ankara summit to soothe Trump's anger over Iran and to demonstrate they are honoring pledges to boost defense spending. Trump argued that the US spends a "disproportionate" amount in NATO to protect Europe from Russia and that this is "not fair."
