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July 7, 2026 / 5:00 AM EDT
/ CBS News
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Washington — As the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's summit in Turkey begins Tuesday, President Trump will continue to push NATO countries to spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense. He does so as the U.S. slowly pulls some of its assets out of Europe, as he reignites a tiff with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and as his interest in acquiring Greenland unsettles and aggravates European allies. The president has at times questioned the usefulness and viability of NATO, keeping members of the 32-country alliance on edge for what he might say next. The location of the summit in the Turkish capital of Ankara is notable. Amid strained ties with some European countries, Mr. Trump has, in his two terms in office, strengthened ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Although it's been a NATO member since 1952, Turkey is at times a controversial member, with a complex economic relationship with Russia and a bevy of systemic human rights issues. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with Mr. Trump at the White House last month ahead of the summit. For a number of reasons, Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month called this summit "probably the most important meeting in NATO's history."Defense spendingMr. Trump has long expressed his frustration with NATO members' levels of defense spending and reliance on U.S. military capabilities and infrastructure in the post-World War II era. Since his first term, he has been pushing NATO members to increase their defense spending. At the 2025 NATO summit last year in The Hague, NATO allies committed to investing 5% of their gross domestic product on defense by the year 2035, thanks largely to a push by Mr. Trump, and up from the previous target of 2%.
