U.S. President Donald Trump criticized NATO as he held a joint news conference with the bloc’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, on Wednesday in Ankara, before the 36th summit of heads of state and government from NATO member states.
"I am not happy with NATO over Greenland, Iran. We are treated unfairly in NATO; we pay disproportionately,” he said.
"I don’t want to deal (with Iranians); they’re sick people," he said about the war with Iran after the cease-fire between the two countries was violated overnight with U.S. strikes in Iran.
Trump had nothing but good words for Türkiye, especially for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. "I like President Erdoğan, he rolled out the red carpet for me. Türkiye is very strong; they’ve got the best (military) equipment," he said.
With tensions peaking after an overnight flare-up between U.S. and Iranian forces, Trump declared the Iran cease-fire was "over," then took aim at NATO allies who failed to back his campaign against Tehran.
And he insisted he still wanted Greenland, calling European resistance to his stance a "big problem."
"I'm very upset with NATO ... because of what they did with Greenland, and ... because of the fact that they didn't want to help us with the number one state sponsor of terror, that's Iran," he said.
Trump singled out Spain for particular criticism, calling it a "terrible partner in NATO."
"Spain is a wasted cause. We don't want to do any trade business with Spain anymore," he said, dragging up a bitter row that also touches on Madrid's defense spending, urging his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut it off." And he raked up more sensitive territory by reiterating his desire for NATO member Denmark's territory of Greenland.
"Greenland is a big problem for us," he told reporters, saying it was "very important for the United States, but it's not important for Denmark."
"We need it for the protection of the world, not just the United States.. It doesn't help Denmark, but it helps us."
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a terse response to Trump's remarks a day earlier, saying: "Greenland is, of course, not for sale."
With NATO keen to focus the U.S. leader's attention on its surging defense budgets, stalled efforts to halt the Ukraine war were also back on the agenda, with Trump saying he believed both sides wanted to end the fighting.
"I think they both want to make a deal," said Trump, who will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later on Wednesday.
With negotiations at an impasse, Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin before flying to Türkiye and was to "follow up" with him after meeting Zelenskyy, a U.S. official said.
Europe and Canada are set to pledge to keep military support flowing to Ukraine to the tune of 70 billion euros ($80 billion) a year in both 2026 and 2027.
Trump will also hold talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as he seeks to rebuild the country's international image as it emerges from years of civil war.
The meeting comes a day after the Syrian leader hosted French President Emmanuel Macron for a landmark state visit that was overshadowed by twin bomb attacks that wounded 18 in the capital Damascus.
Although Trump still appears rankled over restrictions some allies put on U.S. forces using bases at the start of the Iran conflict, he brought welcome news for Erdoğan, saying he would consider selling Türkiye F-35 fighter jets and would roll back sanctions.