Trump arrives in Turkey for NATO Summit, meets with Turkish president

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US President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting at Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, on July 7, 2026, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)US President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting at Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, on July 7, 2026, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Staff Addie Davis
7:05 AM – Tuesday, July 7, 2026

President Donald Trump arrived in Turkey for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit, which is occurring under the shadow of Trump’s continued criticisms of the alliance.

Arriving in Ankara on Tuesday, Trump was greeted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and attended a State Arrival Ceremony and Honor Guard Review before the two world leaders sat down for a bilateral meeting and talked to the press at the Bestepe Presidential Compound.

The United States president has long been critical of NATO, recently condemning the defense spending discrepancy between the U.S. and other nations. According to data provided by NATO, the U.S. defense expenditure accounts for more than all the other countries’ defense spending combined, based on 2025 estimates.

NATO defines defense spending as funds allocated by a country to its own armed forces and related resources, allied forces, or “the needs of the Alliance as a whole.” The organization does not have a dedicated defense fund to which nations contribute, though there is NATO common funding and NATO-managed trust funds.

 

While speaking to reporters, Trump emphasized the special relationship the Turkish president has with the U.S., saying that if the summit had not been held in Turkey, there was a possibility he would not have attended.

“From the day we met, we got along…It’s a chemistry that works between us,” Trump said about his relationship with Erdogan to One America News (OAN) Chief White House Correspondent Daniel Baldwin.

The U.S. commander-in-chief reiterated his disappointment in allied nations for their lack of support during the Iran conflict, purporting that the U.S. had long helped other countries without receiving reciprocal support.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently met with Trump at the White House, where he highlighted the increased military spending by NATO countries due to the U.S. president’s continued urging. Trump and Rutte are set to participate in a greeting at the summit on Wednesday.

In May, Rutte explained the goals of the summit.

 

“The task ahead is clear: to turn Allied commitments into concrete results,” Rutte stated. “Increased investment, industrial production and continued support for Ukraine. All of this contributes to a stronger NATO and greater security for all of us.”

On Wednesday, Trump also has meetings planned with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he had recently had a good call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, followed by a call with Zelensky. He said he believed that both wanted to make a deal to end the war in Europe.

 

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