Trump calls U.S. NATO support levels "ridiculous" ahead of Turkey summit
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President Trump said maintaining current U.S. contributions to NATO would be "ridiculous" and suggested the alliance is not reciprocal, days before a NATO summit in Ankara.
President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Thursday that continuing the United States' "one-sided" relationship with NATO would be "ridiculous," arguing that the alliance is not reciprocal. He added that European allies were "not there for us" and shared a chart showing U.S. defense spending far exceeding that of other NATO members. Trump has previously criticized European partners over restrictions on U.S. bases related to the conflict in Iran and has hinted at the possibility of withdrawing the United States from NATO, a move that would require congressional approval. He reiterated his view that Europe should assume greater responsibility for its own defense, noting that NATO leaders agreed last year to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. The remarks come less than a week before a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where leaders from 32 member states are scheduled to meet on Tuesday and Wednesday.