Trump leaves NATO united on paper, uncertain in practice

NATO leaders ended their summit in Turkey with a renewed public commitment to the alliance’s collective defence pledge, but many major questions remained unanswered. U.S. President Donald Trump backed Article 5 after previously casting doubt on Washington’s role, and European leaders welcomed that as a sign of unity. Still, the meeting produced little clarity on future U.S. troop levels, defence spending, or whether the next summit will proceed as planned in Albania. The gathering was marked by sharp shifts in tone from Trump, who criticized allies over spending, attacked Spain’s role in NATO, and repeated threats over Greenland. Despite the tensions, leaders avoided a major public breakdown and closed with statements of appreciation for Turkey’s hosts and a reaffirmation that an attack on one ally is an attack on all.