U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his stance that the United States will not defend NATO members if they fail to meet the alliance's defence spending targets.

Trump stressed that it is "common sense" not to defend countries that do not contribute adequately to their own defence budgets. He has long criticized NATO, arguing that the U.S. bears too much of the financial burden for the alliance's defence. Trump claims that his previous threats have prompted more NATO members to increase their defence spending, but he believes it is still insufficient.

Trump's comments reflect a broader scepticism about NATO's solidarity, despite the alliance having come to the U.S.'s defence after the September 11 attacks—the only time Article 5, NATO's mutual defence clause, has been invoked.

Trump's stance could lead to a significant policy shift in how the U.S. engages with NATO, potentially favouring members that meet specific defence spending criteria.

This approach has raised concerns among European leaders, who are already anxious about potential reductions in U.S. security support.

Trump's views on NATO have been consistent since his 2016 presidential campaign, where he suggested that the U.S. might not comply with NATO's mutual defence guarantees unless countries meet the target of spending at least 2% of their GDP on defence.

Despite these criticisms, Trump's administration has also reaffirmed its commitment to NATO, with his choice for NATO ambassador stating that the U.S. commitment to Article 5 is "ironclad".

However, Trump's comments continue to cast doubt on the alliance's future and the U.S.'s role within it.

Reuters