President Donald Trump sharply criticized Western European NATO allies on July 7, 2026, accusing them of being disloyal partners who were "not there for us" during the Iran conflict despite substantial American support for mutual defense. His remarks marked a tense opening to the two-day NATO summit held in Ankara, Turkey.

Trump expressed doubts about the allies' commitment, stating, “I’ve long said that we help them, but I’m not sure they’d be there for us.” While meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump pointed to NATO’s lack of cooperation with his campaign against Iran, noting that Italy, Germany, and France had turned down U.S. requests.

The summit focuses on defense spending commitments and the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Trump also criticized European allies for insufficient defense spending, limited overseas troop deployments, and heavy reliance on Russian oil and gas.

In a move to demonstrate NATO's commitment to defense, the alliance announced a deal to replace its early warning radar surveillance planes, which are approximately 50 years old. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson praised the selection of the Swedish GlobalEye platform as NATO’s new airborne early warning and control system, stating it will significantly enhance collective defense capabilities.

Trump indicated openness to reintegrating Turkey into the F-35 fighter jet program, saying inviting Ankara back into the F-35 sphere is “something certainly we would consider.” Turkey was removed from the program in 2019 after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system, which Washington deemed a security risk.

However, over a dozen House Democrats cautioned against readmitting Turkey, stating, “Nothing in the public record suggests Turkey has disposed of the S-400 system, removed it from operational service, or otherwise remediated the underlying concern that triggered sanctions in the first place.” They warned that readmitting Turkey would conflict with statutory obligations.

The summit continues amid these tensions as NATO members navigate defense priorities and geopolitical challenges.

Sources