US President Donald Trump criticized Washington's partnership with NATO on Thursday, labeling the military alliance one-sided less than a week before the 32 member states gather for a summit in Ankara, Turkey.
Trump expressed his dissatisfaction over the lack of European support during the conflict in Iran, noting that several alliance members restricted American forces from utilizing local military bases.
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Defense Spending Disparities
The current dispute follows a previous agreement where NATO leaders, responding to pressure from the Trump administration, pledged to elevate defense-related expenditures to 5% of their gross domestic product by 2035.
To illustrate his concerns, the US president published a graphic online outlining the disparities in defense spending, highlighting that Washington invests significantly more than other member nations like the United Kingdom and France.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the growing friction during a meeting with alliance foreign ministers in May, noting the president's disappointment with the Middle East operations response.
"They were not there for us!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The American president further elaborated on the current geopolitical dynamics, pushing for European nations to assume primary responsibility for their own regional security as Washington scales back its military commitments.
"Ridiculous," Trump said.
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US officials expect these defense disagreements will dominate the upcoming diplomatic discussions, which are scheduled to take place in the Turkish capital.
"Is not reciprocal," Trump said.
The upcoming international conference will mark a significant milestone for the security bloc, which was originally established in 1949 to maintain stability in Europe and deter the Soviet Union.
"The president's views – frankly, disappointment – at some of our NATO allies and their response to our operations in the Middle East, they are well documented," Rubio said.
Rubio emphasized that the upcoming negotiations would be vital for the future of the alliance, which has served as a cornerstone of global power dynamics for nearly eight decades.
"That will have to be addressed," Rubio said.
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The upcoming NATO summit is scheduled to take place in Ankara on July 7 and 8.
