Trump Criticizes NATO Over Iran, Signals Openness to F-35 Sale to Turkey at Summit
Speaking to reporters alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump said he had been "very disappointed" by the response of NATO allies during the conflict.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized NATO's European members for what he described as a lack of support during the recent conflict involving the United States and Iran, as he arrived in Turkey for the alliance's summit.
Speaking to reporters alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump said he had been "very disappointed" by the response of NATO allies during the conflict.
"We didn't need any help at all, and in a way, I was testing people," Trump said. "I was testing to see whether or not they'd be there, because I've long said that we helped them, but I'm not sure that they'd be there for us."
The remarks are likely to reignite longstanding tensions between Trump and several European allies over burden-sharing within the alliance, an issue he has repeatedly raised during both his first and current terms in office.
During the meeting with Erdogan, Trump also indicated that Washington is open to reconsidering Turkey's participation in the F-35 fighter jet program, saying the United States would consider selling the advanced aircraft to Ankara.
"That's a decision we're going to make," Trump said. "It's a great plane, the best plane by far, and it's certainly something we will consider."
Turkey was removed from the multinational F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russia's S-400 air defense missile system, a move the United States argued threatened the security of the stealth fighter's technology. The decision also led to U.S. sanctions on Turkey under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), straining relations between the NATO allies.
Trump also commented on the war in Ukraine, saying he believed both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were interested in reaching a negotiated settlement.
"I think they both want to make a deal," Trump told reporters, referring to separate conversations he has held with the two leaders.
His remarks come ahead of an expected meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit, as diplomatic efforts to end the more than four-year war continue.
The NATO summit in Turkey is expected to focus on European security, defense spending, continued support for Ukraine, and the alliance's broader strategic priorities amid heightened global tensions. Trump's comments underscored persistent disagreements over burden-sharing while also signaling a possible shift in U.S.-Turkey defense ties.