Trump attacks NATO allies at summit kickoff, says Europe is “a very different place” amid complaints over Iran conflict coordination

President Trump opened NATO-related meetings with sharp criticism of Western European allies, telling them that “Europe is a very different place” and arguing that some partners were “not there for us” during the Iran conflict, according to The Washington Times’ account of his remarks Tuesday at the summit kickoff. The statements were delivered as NATO leaders and senior officials were gathering for alliance business, and they contributed to what the report described as a frosty start to the sessions.

The Washington Times said Trump’s remarks framed several Western European governments as disloyal partners who received U.S. backing for mutual defense while failing to consult or align with the United States during the Iran conflict. The report did not provide additional procedural details on how coordination broke down, but it described the comments as direct and personal, rather than confined to policy debate or formal negotiating points.

Separately, another report ahead of the summit said Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with the U.S. leader announcing that Washington would lift sanctions, a move that could reshape defense and industrial negotiations. That report also said Trump indicated the possibility of selling F-35 jets to Turkey, noting that Israel has raised objections, and it described the meeting as part of Trump’s broader effort to manage alliance cohesion through high-level bilateral engagement.

In the same broader account of Trump’s diplomacy, the report said Trump criticized NATO’s ability to function without American leadership and expressed disappointment at the refusal of some NATO allies to join the Iran war he launched alongside Israel without consulting them. It also said Trump reiterated a dispute over Greenland, insisting it should be “controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” an issue that has previously generated tensions among European governments and Denmark.

Alliance leaders, meanwhile, were preparing to show increased military capabilities during the two-day summit, including projects framed as investments meant to strengthen deterrence and demonstrate readiness for evolving security demands. The reporting described the strategy as aimed at persuading Trump that Europe could field a more capable NATO posture even as the U.S. focus shifts to other priorities.

The immediate practical effect of Trump’s kickoff remarks was to sharpen the political atmosphere around alliance deliberations, placing greater emphasis on perceived burden-sharing and consultation during crisis operations. For NATO governments, the next steps involve continuing negotiations on defense commitments and procurement priorities, while also managing potentially cascading disputes raised by Trump’s comments on alliance leadership, Turkey’s role, and the Greenland contention.