- Trump threatened to cut off trade with Spain, calling it a "terrible partner" and "a wasted cause" in NATO.
- He insisted he still wants Greenland, calling it vital for US protection though not important to Denmark.
- Trump said he was upset with NATO over Greenland and its refusal to help against Iran, calling the US treated unfairly.
- NATO chief Mark Rutte said talks would proceed on US Arctic presence while Denmark's prime minister insisted Greenland is not for sale.
- Allies aimed to shift summit toward increased defense spending as Trump complained the United States pays disproportionately to protect Europe.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to cut off trade with Spain and insisted he still wanted Greenland, as NATO leaders met for their summit in Ankara.
“I’m very upset with NATO,” he told reporters as he met alliance chief Mark Rutte ahead of the main summit session.
“I’m not happy with NATO because of what they did with Greenland, and I’m not happy with NATO because of the fact that they didn’t want to help us with the number one state sponsor of terror, that’s Iran.”
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, asking his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “cut it off”.
While Trump is still smarting from the European response to his war with Iran, he still also has not dropped 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 protection of the world, not just the United States.. It doesn’t help Denmark, but it helps us.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte insisted that the US and Denmark would stick to a deal to hold talks over potentially increasing the US footprint on the Arctic island.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen earlier insisted that Copenhagen remained clear that Greenland is “not for sale”.
Washington’s NATO allies want to use the Ankara summit to turn the summit on Trump’s ire over Iran and show they are making good on their pledge to ramp up defence spending.
Trump said the United States was spending “disproportionately” in NATO to help protect Europe from Russia.
“We’ve been treated unfairly,” he said.
