United States President Donald Trump lashed out at NATO allies on Wednesday at the organisations's summit in Ankara, as the fallout from his war on Iran threatened to overshadow the gathering.
Issued on: 08/07/2026 - 16:55
4 min Reading time
With tensions peaking after an overnight flare-up between US and Iranian forces, Trump declared the Iran ceasefire 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 defence 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.
This January 18, 2025 Hand Out image taken by the Danish Defence Forces show Danish Navy personel onboard ocean patrol vessel F357 Thetis wave to colleagues on the French Navy frigate Bretagne at sea in the North Atlantic as part of the NATO "Arctic Endurance" exercise. AFP - BRIAN MARCHER
