Trump Yelled at NATO Leaders in Public. In Private, It Was a Different Story President Donald Trump began his visit to Ankara by publicly criticizing NATO, listing grievances that left allies uneasy. However, during private meetings, his tone shifted significantly. According to four anonymous sources, Trump expressed a more positive stance during a final 30-minute speech, omitting his usual demands to annex Greenland or criticize Spain. While some criticism was present, the meeting included numerous compliments. “We want to remain with you,” Trump reportedly said, according to a participant. The abrupt change marked a notable reversal for a president who had previously threatened to withdraw from the alliance. European leaders had praised Trump for encouraging allies to increase defense spending, yet the exact reason for his shift remained unclear. One diplomat noted, “His mood seems to have swung,” while another described the private meeting as “a bit unexpected,” with a “lot better” atmosphere than his public remarks. During the private session, Trump highlighted the U.S. military’s strength and thanked leaders from Poland, Germany, the Baltic states, and Norway for their contributions to NATO. He later claimed the summit was “a great meeting” and emphasized the “lot of love in that room” ahead of a separate meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This contrasted sharply with his earlier public outbursts, where he lambasted NATO for failing to assist with the Iran conflict and criticized Spain for not increasing defense spending. Trump even called for cutting ties with Spain during those remarks. In the private meeting, Trump did not mention specific nations on his “naughty list,” according to a diplomat.#nato #donald_trump #mark_rutte #greenland #mette_frederiksen
