Trump Ties NATO Attendance to Erdogan Relationship, Not Alliance Duty

President Trump arrived in Ankara on July 7 for NATO's first summit in Turkey, but signaled his presence hinges on his personal rapport with Turkish President Erdogan rather than NATO commitment. Trump stated he might have skipped the gathering entirely absent that bilateral relationship. Secretary of State Rubio had confirmed Trump's attendance in June despite the president's stated frustrations with allied burden-sharing, particularly regarding U.S.-Iran tensions. The framing signals strain within the alliance over how member states support core U.S. priorities.