Trump’s always raging about something,’ former US NATO envoy says
Volker told Europe Today the US president’s anger at allies for not joining in the war in Iran was an “exaggeration”.
US President Donald Trump, known for his outspoken criticism of allies and international institutions, is unlikely to overshadow next week’s NATO summit in Ankara, according to former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker.
Speaking on Euronews’ Europe , Volker said Trump is expected to avoid creating unnecessary tension out of respect for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with whom he has maintained a positive relationship.
“Donald Trump is always upset about something—whether it’s European defence spending, NATO contributions, or Iran,” Volker said. “But he has a good relationship with Erdoğan and won’t want to spoil Turkey’s moment as summit host.”
Growing Frustration with NATO Allies
Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO members in recent months, accusing several European governments of failing to support the United States and Israel during their joint military campaign against Iran. He argued that some allies had neglected their commitments under the NATO alliance.
Among the points of contention, Spain and Italy reportedly declined to provide access to military bases, while France refused Israeli aircraft carrying weapons permission to use its airspace.
Relations with European leaders also deteriorated in May after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the strategy behind the conflict with Iran, calling it “ill-conceived.” Trump responded by announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from Germany and branding some European allies as “cowards.” He also dismissed NATO as a “paper tiger.”
European governments maintained that they had not been involved in planning the military operation against Iran and argued that the conflict fell outside NATO’s collective defence responsibilities. Despite a preliminary peace agreement aimed at ending the war, Trump has continued to express dissatisfaction.
‘One-Sided’ NATO Relationship
Just days before the summit, Trump renewed his criticism of the alliance, describing the US relationship with NATO as “one-sided.”
“They were not there for us!!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, arguing that Washington’s commitment to NATO “is not reciprocal.”
Despite his criticism, Trump confirmed that he will attend the summit, saying his decision is largely motivated by his respect for President Erdoğan.
“If the summit was not taking place in Turkey, I don’t think I would have gone,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House. “I’m going out of respect to President Erdoğan.”
Volker: Trump’s Claims Are Overstated
Since returning to the White House, Trump has frequently accused European allies of failing to invest adequately in defence, often referring to them as “free riders” benefiting from American military spending.
Volker, however, argued that Trump’s criticism over the Iran conflict is overstated.
“The administration likes to say Europe wasn’t there for us—that they denied access to bases and airspace,” Volker said. “That’s a bit of an exaggeration. We would have needed to ask first, and the allies weren’t informed in advance that the US was planning to strike Iran. It’s difficult to criticize countries for not participating in an operation they weren’t consulted about.”
The NATO summit is expected to focus on defence spending, alliance unity, and regional security, with Trump’s stance toward European allies likely to remain under close scrutiny.
Source & Courtesy: Euro News
