President Donald Trump pressed NATO allies on Tuesday to channel rising defence budgets into American weapons systems, casting a shadow over a summit in Ankara where economic commitments dominate the agenda.
The US approach has already yielded nearly $120 billion in allied defence outlays over the past year, with roughly half directed to American equipment. Matt Whitaker, the US ambassador to NATO, welcomed European spending efforts but warned against protectionist language in European defence initiatives. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who hopes billions in orders to US firms will demonstrate the alliance's value, also favours European systems for longer-term procurement.
Tensions flared as Trump labelled Spain a "terrible partner" and reiterated frustration over insufficient allied support in the Iran conflict. The summit follows last year's Hague agreement to raise defence spending targets to 5% of GDP by 2035, a goal all European members are now on track to meet or exceed.