Türkiye has the second largest military force in NATO.

Omissions

• The claim does not specify the metric used to measure 'military force.' By active military personnel, Türkiye is indeed the second-largest in NATO. However, by composite military power indices such as Global Firepower's 2026 ranking, which weighs equipment, technology, logistics, and other factors, Türkiye ranks fourth in NATO behind the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.
• The NATO Secretary General's statement refers to the 'second-largest army' rather than 'second-largest military force,' which could imply ground forces specifically rather than total armed forces including navy and air force, though in common usage the terms are often used interchangeably.

Sources

• PrimaryNATO (official website)NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte 'highlighted that Türkiye has the second-largest army in NATO and spends over 2% of GDP on defence.'
• SecondaryGlobal FirepowerNATO Member States Military Ranking (2026): United States #1, France #2, United Kingdom #3, Turkiye #4. This is a composite index of military strength, not a personnel count.
• SecondaryStatistaThe United States has by far the largest army among NATO member states, with Turkey having the second-largest army in the alliance.