Trump at NATO boosts Turkey and defies Europe, pressing case for Greenland

by WorldTribune Staff, July 8, 2026 Non-AI Real World News

Asked by reporters late last month if he would have any “gifts” for Turkey when he arrived for this week’s NATO summit, President Donald Trump said: “I’m going to probably do something that will make them very happy.”

Mission accomplished.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he held very fruitful talks with Trump and he left their meeting happy.

President Donald Trump with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. / X

Turkey put on an air show and named a new airport building for President Donald Trump.

During his visit to Ankara, Trump was expected to throw his support behind the potential sale of U.S. F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.

Erdogan who seeks to revive the Turkey’s past clout in the region is like post-Assad Syria a key to Trump’s strategy for Gaza and regional alliances geared more to commerce than coping with Iran and its proxies.

At an earlier meeting in ‌front of reporters, ⁠Trump said he would lift U.S. sanctions on Turkey over its 2019 purchase of Russian S-400 defence systems which at the time had upset the U.S. and other NATO allies and sown distrust.

Erdogan also announced that he had discussed joint defense industry cooperation with Trump, which could include shipbuilding, notably frigates, submarines, and corvettes.

Trump made a point of defending Erdogan against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criticism, who warned this week against selling F-35s to Ankara.

On the F-35s, the president said: “I haven’t totally made up my mind, but my inclination is to say, look, he’s done everything, he’s helped us in so many different ways.”

Related: China’s sleeper agent in NATO, August 1, 2023

While boosting Turkey, Trump berated NATO allies, saying they failed two key tests.

“I’m not happy with NATO because of what they did with Greenland, and I’m not happy with NATO because of the fact they didn’t want to help us with the No. 1 state sponsor of terror — that’s Iran,” Trump told reporters. “They were unwilling to help us.”

“But I was really testing,” Trump revealed. “I wanted to see if they would be there.” Later the president praised the unity at the NATO summit.

The president revived his claim that Greenland should be under U.S. control rather than Danish control, saying Copenhagen had failed to adequately support the Arctic territory.

Trump has proposed purchasing Greenland from Denmark multiple times, and insisted Tuesday at the summit in Turkey that the territory is critical to global security and that it “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.”

The U.S. sees Greenland’s location as ideal for America’s ballistic missile early warning systems and space surveillance, and for protecting shipping routes from Russia and China

“We took Greenland and then stupidly we gave it back,” Trump said. “We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States.”

During World War II, U.S. forces established military bases and administrative control in Greenland after Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany.

Trump said Danish leadership has not been helpful to Greenland and its people.

“Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States. And it’s surrounded by China ships and Russian ships,” he said.

Trump also said he intends to lift Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, subject to a 45-day congressional review period, saying the country has made huge strides under President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

“He’s done a great job,”  Trump said before noting that Syria could help the U.S. deal with Iran-sponsored Hizbullah in Lebanon that has been fighting Israel for many years.

Freedom Rocks! Until It Is Gone

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