US President Donald Trump says he was “testing” NATO allies during the Iran conflict and that he is “very disappointed” with the alliance’s response. In remarks to reporters ahead of a NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Trump said some member states did not support key US military objectives, further straining relations with several European leaders. He also linked the Iran situation to his broader concerns about whether NATO allies would back the United States when it is most needed. Trump’s comments come as he meets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the same time as the summit preparations.
One report adds that Trump discussed his relationship with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, saying it has “soured” over her stance related to the Strait of Hormuz. Across the accounts, Trump frames the Iran war episode as evidence of what he considers gaps in allied alignment within NATO, while the broader political context is the lead-up to the Ankara summit and ongoing tensions between Washington and some European partners.
