Trump Calls NATO Support 'Ridiculous' Before Ankara Summit
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- Trump declared on Thursday (Jul 2) it is "ridiculous" for the US to continue its "one-sided" relationship with NATO, less than a week before the alliance's summit in the Turkish capital.
- Trump's Truth Social post included the line "They were not there for us!!!" and said Washington's relationship with NATO "is not reciprocal," accompanied by a chart showing vastly higher US spending compared to other member states.
- Trump has repeatedly lashed out at European allies over their response to the war in Iran, as several NATO countries restricted the use of bases for US forces.
- Trump insists Europe should take the lead role for its own defence, and the source notes Washington has already moved to scale back commitments.
- Under pressure from Trump, NATO leaders agreed at a summit last year to boost defence-related spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
- The upcoming NATO summit on Jul 7-8 in Ankara will bring together all 32 member states of the alliance, which was founded in 1949.
Why it matters: Trump's pre-summit blast — branding the alliance "ridiculous" and "one-sided" five days before 32 NATO members gather in Ankara — raises the prospect of fresh US commitment pullback at a meeting meant to project unity, while allies already face a 5%-of-GDP spending target by 2035 and ongoing disputes over base access tied to the Iran conflict.
