WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the upcoming NATO leaders’ summit in Türkiye in July, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Wednesday, describing the gathering as one of the most consequential meetings in the alliance’s history.
Speaking before U.S. lawmakers, Rubio said the summit would provide an opportunity for NATO members to address critical challenges facing the alliance, including defense spending, transatlantic security cooperation and responses to emerging global threats.
“I think the upcoming NATO meeting in Türkiye in July is one of the most important meetings in NATO’s history because there are things that need to be clarified and fixed,” Rubio told legislators.
He added that Trump would personally take part in the summit, underscoring Washington’s commitment to discussions on the future direction of the 32-member military alliance.
The meeting comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, with NATO members seeking to strengthen collective defense capabilities and maintain unity amid ongoing security concerns in Europe and beyond.
Alliance leaders are expected to discuss burden-sharing among member states, military readiness, support for partners facing security threats, and measures to enhance NATO’s long-term deterrence and defense posture.
Türkiye, a longstanding NATO member with the alliance’s second-largest military, will host the summit as member countries navigate a rapidly evolving global security environment.
Further details on the summit agenda and participating delegations are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
