U.S. President Donald Trump brought renewed tensions to a NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, publicly criticizing European allies, questioning their support for his campaign against Iran and repeating his demand for control over Greenland, while later presenting the meeting as a success marked by unity.
Before joining a closed-door session with NATO leaders at Turkey’s presidential palace, Trump accused European allies of failing to support the United States in its confrontation with Iran. He also criticized Spain over its refusal to commit to a higher defense spending target and again raised his interest in Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
“We need the island,” Trump said, referring to Greenland. He added that the United States had previously controlled the territory and suggested it should not have been returned.
Trump’s comments came as NATO leaders gathered for a meeting aimed at managing tensions within the alliance following months of disputes over defense spending, military commitments and U.S. foreign policy decisions.
During his public remarks, Trump described some European partners as ineffective for not supporting his offensive against Iran, a conflict that falls outside NATO’s collective defense framework. He singled out Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Trump has been particularly critical of Spain over its refusal to support his push for NATO members to spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense and its decision not to allow U.S. use of Spanish bases for military operations against Iran.
However, several sources said Trump adopted a more restrained tone during the private discussions with NATO leaders. He did not raise the Greenland issue inside the meeting and did not repeat the personal criticisms he had made publicly.
After the summit, Trump described the gathering as “magnificent,” saying it involved “very intelligent people” and claiming there was unity among participants. He called the meeting a success during a lengthy press conference where he shifted between multiple topics.
Despite the calmer atmosphere behind closed doors, Trump’s earlier comments created tension around a summit designed to avoid confrontation between the U.S. president and his NATO counterparts. The alliance has not yet confirmed a date for its next summit, which had been planned for Albania next year, with one allied source suggesting fewer meetings could reduce risks.
Trump said he was dissatisfied with NATO because members had not supported his actions against Iran and because of disagreements over Greenland. He also reiterated that further attacks against Iran could follow after declaring the ceasefire with Tehran ended following renewed fighting between the two countries.
The president’s criticism of NATO allies has raised concerns about the alliance’s unity at a time of heightened global tensions. Trump’s repeated threats and uncertainty over U.S. commitments have created questions about the credibility of NATO’s collective defense guarantees, an issue central to the organization’s role.
On Tuesday, Trump suggested he could consider withdrawing U.S. troops from Europe, where Washington currently has around 80,000 military personnel stationed. Such a move would go beyond previously announced reductions.
However, during the summit discussions, Trump indicated that he remained committed to NATO, according to sources familiar with the meeting. He also signed the summit’s final declaration alongside other leaders, reaffirming the principle of collective defense.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte defended Trump after the summit, saying the United States remained fully committed to the alliance. Rutte also praised Trump’s pressure on allies to increase defense spending and said Washington’s concerns about Arctic security, including Greenland, were understandable.
The issue of Greenland remained a point of disagreement. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Denmark would defend its territory and emphasized that Greenland was not for sale.
“Greenland, of course, is not for sale,” Frederiksen said in Ankara, adding that the rights of Greenland’s people and Denmark’s sovereignty must be respected.
Other European leaders also expressed support for Denmark. French President Emmanuel Macron said NATO’s principles included not only defending members from external attacks but also ensuring allies did not threaten one another.
Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir also said Greenland belonged to the Greenlandic people and that they did not wish to become part of the United States.
The Ankara summit ended with NATO leaders reaffirming their collective defense commitments, but Trump’s public attacks and renewed Greenland demands highlighted continuing disagreements within the alliance.
