Trump Swings From Criticism to Praise at NATO Summit, Easing Alliance Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a familiar mix of sharp criticism and warm praise during this week's NATO summit in Ankara, leaving allies relieved that the gathering ended without a major diplomatic clash despite a turbulent start.

Upon arriving, Trump criticized key NATO members, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy, accusing them of failing to adequately support the U.S. military campaign against Iran. He also singled out Spain, threatening to cut off trade over its defense spending and its stance on the conflict.

Trump further reignited tensions by repeating his desire for U.S. control of Greenland, an issue that has strained relations with Denmark and other NATO allies.

However, the tone shifted significantly as the summit progressed. During a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the alliance chief praised Trump's leadership, arguing that his pressure had pushed European nations to substantially increase defense spending.

"Grab the win. It's there. You did it," Rutte told Trump, encouraging the U.S. president to claim credit for NATO's stronger military commitments.

By the summit's conclusion, Trump adopted a far more positive tone, describing the closed-door leaders' meeting as filled with "love" and praising allied governments for boosting defense budgets.

"They said, 'Sir, we love you,'" Trump told reporters, adding that European leaders' outreach had resonated with him.

Diplomats said Trump's private discussions were noticeably less confrontational than his public remarks. According to officials, he did not repeat his threats against Spain or press his Greenland proposal during the leaders' meeting.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described his conversation with Trump as "very cordial," while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also received supportive comments from the U.S. president during a bilateral meeting.

Despite the calmer ending, diplomats remain cautious. Many noted that Trump's relationship with NATO has often shifted quickly, citing previous summits where friendly rhetoric was later followed by renewed disagreements.

While flying home, Trump praised NATO's "tremendous unity" and called Spain "very generous." Moments later, however, he again raised the possibility of withdrawing additional U.S. troops from Europe, underscoring the uncertainty that continues to define his approach to the transatlantic alliance.