ANKARA — When allied leaders arrived at this week’s NATO summit in Turkey, they faced a familiar question: which version of the U.S. president would show up — the one who champions the alliance, or the one who threatens to tear it apart?
As it turned out, they got a little of both.
Shortly after arriving Tuesday, Trump publicly blasted the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy, accusing those nations of failing to back the United States in its war with Iran. Wednesday morning brought more turbulence, when Trump announced he would cut off all trade with Spain, calling the country a “terrible partner” and accusing it of blocking the war effort while not spending enough on defense.
“I don’t want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits, OK?” Trump said, directing his remarks to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Trump also renewed his push for U.S. control over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory — a demand that has already caused significant tension within the alliance.
Yet by Wednesday evening, the tone had shifted dramatically. Trump was applauding those same European leaders for boosting their defense budgets, and he described a private session among NATO heads of state as brimming with “love.”
“It was sort of pretty wild,” Trump reflected before a packed room of journalists.
The mood swings were jarring but not entirely surprising. NATO leaders, who experienced a similar rollercoaster at last year’s summit, have learned to manage Trump through careful diplomacy — and, when necessary, outright flattery.
In his meeting with Trump, Rutte praised the president’s military strikes on Iran and credited him with pushing Europe to spend more on defense. “Grab the win. It’s there. You did it,” Rutte told him.
Trump appeared to take the advice to heart and later acknowledged that the private charm offensive from European leaders had worked on him.
“They said, ‘Sir, we love you.’ These are grown people saying that. Isn’t that nice?” Trump told reporters. “Maybe they’re doing it to get to me. And in a way they did.”
Diplomats noted that while Trump’s public outbursts made headlines, his tone in closed-door sessions was noticeably calmer. Multiple diplomats said he did not repeat his threats against Spain or bring up Greenland during the private leaders’ meeting.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez downplayed the earlier confrontation, describing his conversation with Trump as “very cordial.”
Trump also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that afternoon, offering praise for the Ukrainian leader — a welcome development for officials in Kyiv who have navigated a turbulent relationship with Washington.
When Trump stepped before cameras at the summit’s closing press conference, NATO officials breathed a collective sigh of relief. No new disputes had erupted among allies.
“They have a lot of good in their heart, not evil, good, and they’re doing a great job for their country,” Trump said of allied leaders.
Still, veteran diplomats are not counting on the warm feelings to hold. At last year’s NATO gathering in The Hague, Trump also praised the alliance’s leadership — only to host Russian President Vladimir Putin in the United States weeks later for a meeting that allies privately criticized.
On the flight back home, Trump called Spain “very generous” and praised NATO’s “tremendous unity” — then, moments later, repeated a threat to withdraw additional American troops from Europe.
