ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — NATO’s summit in Turkey on Wednesday had threatened to go off the rails even before U.S. President Donald Trump and his counterparts sat down to work. But the leaders renewed their vow to defend each other should any of them come under attack.It came despite a fresh storm of old Trump criticism toward U.S. allies that seemed to put his commitment in doubt. In the end, Trump told reporters, “There was a lot of love in that room. A lot of unity.”“We’ve had a tremendous time and I think a great success,” Trump said later at a news conference.In a declaration, the leaders said their pledge to Article 5 of NATO’s treaty is “ironclad.” They said that “an attack on one is an attack on all.”NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said U.S. allies “warmly welcomed President Trump’s leadership.” It jarred after Trump had insisted his America should take control of Greenland, a semiautonomous part of ally Denmark.“The message from this summit is simple. NATO delivers,” Rutte said. Here are some takeaways from the summit.
Iran strikes and a possible NATO roleMost of the time, U.S. military strikes are ordered up while the president is close to home.So Trump’s decision to authorize retaliatory strikes on Iran shortly after leaving a NATO leaders’ dinner was unusual, and underscored a beef he has with the alliance.Trump has complained bitterly that allies didn’t help him keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
