NATO summit convenes in Ankara amid criticism of Turkey's authoritarianism

Heads of state and government of NATO met in Ankara on July 7‑8 at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s newly built White Palace, a complex of more than 1,100 rooms that overlays the historic Atatürk Forest Farm. The gathering was noted for taking place in a country described as a leading jail for journalists, where 150,000 civil servants have been purged and numerous European Court of Human Rights rulings have been ignored, including the continued imprisonment of activist Osman Kavala.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump attended the summit, marking the first visit by a sitting American president to Turkey since 2015. Critics highlighted the contrast between NATO’s stated commitment to democracy and the hosting of the meeting in an authoritarian regime, while also recalling Turkey’s long‑standing strategic role in the alliance since its 1952 accession and its use as a U.S. military foothold during the Cold War.