US President Donald Trump said Türkiye is sometimes viewed as a challenging partner within NATO but stressed that the alliance is stronger with Ankara inside it, praising President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a decisive leader able to resolve issues swiftly.
“There are countries that are difficult for NATO, not that they shouldn’t be in. I think it’s good to have them,” Trump told Politico in a wide-ranging interview at the White House, naming Türkiye as an example.
He described President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as “a friend” and “a tough cookie,” crediting the Turkish leader with building “a strong country and a strong military.”
Trump said other NATO members often ask him to intervene when challenges arise with Ankara’s leadership. “Whenever they have a problem with Erdoğan, they ask me to call because they can’t speak to him,” he said, adding that he is able to “work things out quickly.”
Trump contrasted Erdoğan’s leadership style with that of other European leaders, whom he criticized for being indecisive and politically constrained. He argued that governments on the continent are struggling to respond to migration pressures and the war in Ukraine.
The interview comes as European officials react to Washington’s newly released National Security Strategy, which accuses the continent of heavy regulation, declining “self-confidence,” and “civilizational erasure” due to migration – language that drew pushback in European capitals.
European Council President Antonio Costa warned that allies should not interfere in each other’s political choices, responding to Trump’s remarks and his endorsements of like-minded European figures, including Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Asked whether NATO should stop accepting new members, Trump replied, “Well, you know, there aren’t that many left,” noting that the alliance’s expansion has limits.
The U.S. and Türkiye remain engaged on defense, regional security, and NATO modernization as the alliance prepares for its upcoming strategic milestones.
