Nato summit faces tricky diplomacy with Trump over his defense spending demands | First Thing

According to The Guardian, NATO leaders gather in Ankara today for a summit clouded by tension with US President Donald Trump over defense spending. Washington is pressing allies to raise their budget contributions, and on Friday Trump posted a graphic on Truth Social comparing member states' defense budgets, calling the disparity "ridiculous" and "one-sided." The Guardian reports the United States is planning to cut the troops and equipment it would assign to Europe in the event of a war with Russia. The strain follows a turbulent stretch: Trump's threats to take control of Greenland from Denmark, a lack of consultation with European allies before the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, and frayed relations with leaders including Canada's Mark Carney and Italy's Giorgia Meloni. Allies now hope concrete steps on spending will help ease the standoff.

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