Key facts
- President Donald Trump will attend the NATO summit in Turkey on July 7-8.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Trump's attendance.
- Trump has expressed anger with NATO allies for perceived reluctance to support the U.S. war in Iran.
- Key irritations include allies denying U.S. military bases and naval support.
- Rubio described the upcoming NATO summit as potentially the most important in its history.
U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the NATO summit of heads of state in Turkey in early July, as confirmed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This confirmation comes amid Trump's vocal frustrations with NATO allies over their perceived lack of support for the U.S. military campaign in Iran. Rubio stated that Trump's primary irritation stemmed from some members denying the U.S. access to military bases and declining to provide naval support to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for energy tankers. Several European leaders have been hesitant to directly engage in U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, fearing escalation of an unpredictable and unpopular conflict. Trump has previously criticized NATO, labeling it a "paper tiger" and threatening withdrawal, arguing that European allies have benefited from U.S. security guarantees without offering sufficient support for operations in Iran. Rubio emphasized the significance of the upcoming summit in Ankara on July 7 and 8, calling it potentially the most important in NATO's 77-year history due to the need to clarify and resolve outstanding issues within the 32-member alliance.