Trump oscillates between threats and praise at NATO Ankara summit

The NATO summit in Ankara was marked by President Donald Trump's characteristic volatility, lashing out at allies over defense spending and the war in Iran, only to later claim the meeting was filled with "love" and "unity." Source: ABC Trump threatened to cut trade ties with Spain, calling it a "terrible partner" for not meeting the 5% GDP defense spending target, and revived his push for U.S. control over Greenland, which Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen firmly rejected. Source: La Vanguardia He also criticized Germany, France, Italy, and the UK for not supporting his military operations against Iran.

Despite the public attacks, behind closed doors Trump reportedly softened, telling allies "We want to stay with you" and reaffirming the U.S. commitment to NATO's Article 5 collective defense clause. Source: Clarín The final declaration upheld the alliance's mutual defense pledge, though no date was set for the next summit. A key outcome was Trump's pledge to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missiles, a move welcomed by President Zelensky. Source: Listín Diario

The summit also highlighted Trump's favoritism toward host Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with Washington signaling a possible return of Turkey to the F-35 program, despite Israeli objections. Source: El Español Meanwhile, European leaders, led by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, employed a strategy of flattery to manage Trump, but underlying tensions over Europe's military autonomy and the U.S.-Iran conflict remain unresolved. Source: El Confidencial