President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) failed two significant tests during a high-stakes summit in Ankara, Turkey. Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with allied nations, claiming they had not adequately supported the U.S. on key issues, specifically the proposed acquisition of Greenland and the response to Iran's actions.
"I'm not happy with NATO because of what they did with Greenland, and I'm not happy with NATO because of the fact they didn't want to help us with the No. 1 state sponsor of terror — that's Iran," Trump told reporters. He characterized his engagement at the summit as a deliberate test of allied commitment. "But I was really testing. I wanted to see if they would be there."
Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, citing its strategic importance for U.S. missile warning systems and Arctic defense. He reiterated his view that the territory should be controlled by the United States, not Denmark, especially in light of expanding Chinese and Russian presence in the region. "We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States," Trump said.
Danish leaders have consistently rejected the idea of selling Greenland. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen previously stated that Greenland is "not for sale" and that Denmark is "ready to defend every inch of NATO including our own territory." She also emphasized the right to self-determination for Greenlanders and the need for respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Regarding Iran, Trump declared that a previously established tentative ceasefire was "over" after the U.S. launched new strikes. He condemned Iran, calling it "scum" and "evil," and described negotiations with the country as a "waste of time" following attacks on trade vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated that NATO allies were unwilling to assist the U.S. in its actions against Iran, which he identified as the leading state sponsor of terror.
Trump has a history of criticizing NATO, arguing that many member nations do not contribute their fair share to defense spending. He has previously called for member nations to spend 5% of their GDP on defense and has at times threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the alliance, asserting it was not beneficial for the United States. Germany, while spending the second-most on defense among allies, spends only one-tenth of what the U.S. expends annually on its own defense.
The summit in Ankara brought together leaders from NATO's 32 member countries to discuss global security matters. Trump indicated he had scheduled meetings with various world leaders during the summit to address international issues.