Washington — President Trump mentioned “unification” was once the dominant theme of a “successful” North Atlantic Treaty Group summit in Turkey this week, suggesting two days of gatherings with NATO allies smoothed over one of the president’s frustrations with them over Iran.
Mr. Trump, who started the summit in Ankara via suggesting Turkey is a greater best friend than most of the extra conventional Ecu allies, concluded it with a press convention touting the “tremendous love” exhibited via all NATO leaders for the U.S. and for each and every different.
“If you could have seen the respect and the love in the room, and it’s love really for the country, for our country,” he mentioned. “But they do, they like the job I’m doing. They said, ‘We love, sir, we love you.’ These are grown people saying that, isn’t that nice? Maybe, I don’t know, maybe they’re trying to get to me. And in a way they did, because there was tremendous unity in that room.”
He thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the host of the summit, calling him a “great man” and a “great leader.” However flanked via Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, U.S. ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker and White Area deputy leader of body of workers Stephen Miller, the president took a extra certain tone towards Ecu allies, regardless of his criticisms of them for now not taking extra energetic roles in serving to the U.S. with Iran.
“They just had a bad moment,” Mr. Trump mentioned, relating to a number of allies’ resolution to stick at the sidelines relating to Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. “They didn’t help us. We didn’t need the help. But if we would have wanted the help.”
“I can only say if there’s one word that comes out of today it’s unification,” he added. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Every one of those countries. They love us, they love each other. That was tremendous unification.”
President Trump speaks to the media on the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026.
Umit Bektas / REUTERS
On the two-day summit, Mr. Trump persevered to press NATO states to spend 5% in their annual GDP on protection, because the Trump management has lengthy held many individuals are not wearing their weight. Mr. Trump insisted “all” the NATO nations need U.S. protection apparatus.
Iran got here up many times within the president’s bilateral conferences. Previous Wednesday, Mr. Trump mentioned that the ceasefire with Iran is “over.” He informed newshounds that the U.S. would possibly reinstate its naval blockade of Iran, and would almost certainly strike Iran more difficult once more Wednesday evening, after Iran attacked 3 tankers within the Strait of Hormuz this week.
NATO Secretary Basic Mark Rutte expressed fortify for the moves the U.S. has performed since Iran’s assaults at the tankers: “It was a very strong response, and I’m with you on this.”
Mr. Trump declared that “the Iran war has been a tremendous military success,” prior to suggesting throughout his press convention that Iran may assassinate him, noting its leaders had been killed throughout the battle.
“Their leaders are gone,” he mentioned of Iran. “Head leaders, they’re gone, and they had another set of leaders, they’re gone. Now they have another set of leaders — they may be gone — who knows. And you know what? I may be gone, too. Because I’m their No. 1 target.”
“I’m not sure I want to make a deal with them,” Mr. Trump added, announcing he may simply “finish” the process in Iran.
Lower than 3 hours after Mr. Trump lifted off from Turkey, U.S. Central Command introduced any other spherical of moves on Iran had begun, at Mr. Trump’s course.
“At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” U.S. Central Command mentioned. “The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway.”
Greenland additionally remains to be an unanswered query for the Trump management, roiling Ecu allies in NATO.
On Wednesday, Mr. Trump mentioned Greenland is “very important to us,” including the U.S. “took Greenland” after International Battle II, “and then stupidly we gave it back.” The U.S. did protect Greenland from German career throughout International Battle II, however Denmark at all times retained the island.
“Greenland is, of course, not for sale,” Danish High Minister Mette Frederiksen repeated Wednesday.
“We hope that all, including all allies, will respect the Greenland people’s right for self-determination,” Frederiksen mentioned. “And we are sovereign states and we need everybody to respect our territorial integrity and our sovereignty.”
She mentioned Denmark is “ready to defend every inch of NATO including our own territory” within the match of an assault and would depend on NATO allies to honor their dedication to protect each and every different. Different NATO member nations have reaffirmed their fortify for Denmark.
Amid this rupture, Mr. Trump mentioned Tuesday that the U.S. must assist Turkey, a rustic that “frankly has been more helpful to the United States than many other more traditional countries.” On Tuesday, he introduced his plans to ease sanctions on Turkey, and mentioned he is taking into consideration permitting the rustic to reenter the F-35 fighter jet program as soon as once more. Turkey was once kicked out of this system via the Trump management in 2019 over its use of Russian protection generation, observed as a countrywide safety fear. In 2020, Congress handed law successfully prohibiting the switch of F-35 plane to Turkey.
Whilst some Republicans are nonetheless expressing issues over the potential of Turkey obtaining F-35s, Mr. Trump mentioned he does not have any issues about Turkey, and praised Erdoğan.
“I have no concerns at all about anything,” he mentioned. “I mean, he’s a leader of a country that he’s made a much better country, much more powerful country. You see it — I mean, it’s beautiful, you get off, the roads are beautiful, it’s an amazing thing. No, I have no concerns about anything having to do with Turkey.”
Mr. Trump met with a variety of international leaders at the sidelines of NATO, together with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Russia’s battle in Ukraine is any other key matter for NATO allies, without a solution in sight. All over their assembly, Mr. Trump introduced the U.S. will grant Ukraine the license to make their very own Patriot missiles for cover, at the same time as Mr. Trump introduced sympathetic phrases to each Russia and Ukraine. The U.S. president informed newshounds to present him inquiries to put across to Russian President Vladimir Putin after they discuss later.
A Ukrainian reporter requested, “When will he end this war?”
“That’s a good question,” the U.S. president answered. “I don’t think I’ve ever asked him that question. I’m going to ask him that question.”
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