Washington, July 3 (EFE).- US President Donald Trump will attend the NATO summit amid escalating tensions with several European allies, saying he is participating «out of respect» for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan despite his sharp criticism of the alliance partners over their stance on the conflict with Iran.
The summit, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Ankara, comes amid Trump’s repeated threats to reduce the US military presence in Europe and his disputes with several European leaders, including a recent public exchange with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Despite the summit’s strategic importance, Trump has said he is attending only «out of respect» for Erdogan, portraying the Turkish leader as a rare exception among what he has described as «terrible» allies.
Trump criticizes European allies
In recent months, Trump has directed some of his strongest criticism at Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, accusing them of refusing logistical support during the conflict with Iran, including access to military bases and assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
He has described Spain as a «disaster» within NATO and threatened trade measures over Madrid’s refusal to authorize the use of the Rota and Morón military bases and its reluctance to increase defense spending to the level he has demanded.
Trump has also criticized Meloni, once considered one of his closest European allies, accusing her of failing to support the US position on Iran and claiming that «her popularity is in the gutter.»
Meloni dismissed the remarks, saying her relationship with Trump «has not helped» her politically and that her popularity «is none of the Republican’s business.»
Trump’s dissatisfaction with Europe’s response has extended beyond rhetoric.
In May, he announced the withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from bases in Germany, which hosts the largest American military presence in Europe, after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz questioned Washington’s strategy toward Iran.
Trump has argued that the reluctance of several European countries to support the US reflects what he considers NATO’s fundamental imbalance, with Washington defending Europe while receiving insufficient support in return.
«Why are we protecting countries that don’t protect us?» he has said.
NATO under scrutiny
Trump has used the dispute to once again question NATO’s effectiveness and the distribution of defense responsibilities within the alliance.
He has described NATO as a «paper tiger» and suggested he is seriously considering withdrawing the United States from the alliance, although such a move would require congressional approval.
A law passed in 2023 and signed by then-President Joe Biden bars the US government from withdrawing from NATO without prior authorization from Congress, either through specific legislation or with the approval of two-thirds of the Senate.
Defense spending is also expected to dominate the Ankara summit after allies pledged last year in The Hague to raise military spending to 5 percent of GDP over the next decade.
However, disagreements over the pace and scope of those increases remain a major source of friction, with Trump arguing that European allies are failing to meet their commitments.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who met Trump at the White House last week, sought to downplay the tensions.
“There have been isolated cases that have really disappointed him, but, in general terms, his European allies have been there,” Rutte said. EFE
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