Trump heads to NATO summit in Ankara citing lack of ally support for Iran operation

President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara for the NATO summit on Tuesday, saying his attendance was largely due to the host country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and indicating frustration with several European allies. He criticized Spain and other members for not allowing U.S. forces to use their territory or airspace during the recent Operation Epic Fury against Iran.

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told reporters that Trump was "disappointed" by the allies that declined to grant base or overflight rights and by the political statements that followed the strike. Whitaker added that the United States views burden-sharing as extending beyond defense budgets, suggesting that nations contributing more could receive preferential treatment in procurement and engagement.

The summit’s public agenda includes defense spending, support for Ukraine and NATO’s long-term strategy toward Russia. Analysts say the fallout from the Iran operation will likely influence private discussions between Trump and European leaders, as the administration considers possible countermeasures for countries that fall short of NATO’s 5 percent of GDP defense-spending target.

European governments defended their positions by citing domestic legal constraints and concerns about being drawn into a broader Middle East conflict. The United Kingdom eventually permitted U.S. strikes after initially refusing, while Spain maintained its opposition, Italy limited its role to logistical support, and Germany confined its involvement to logistics without public endorsement.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Ian Brzezinski noted that the summit will feature two parallel scorecards: traditional NATO priorities such as deterrence against Russia, and an assessment of which allies supported the United States during the Iran operation.