Trump's NATO Turnaround: From threatening to pull US out to 'daddy' of the alliance
President Donald Trump delivered a resounding endorsement of NATO this week, marking a sharp turnaround in his years-long, often contentious relationship with the alliance.
Once known for blasting allies over defense spending and even threatening to pull out of NATO altogether, Trump now appears to have had a change of heart.
"I left here differently. I left here saying that these people really love their countries," Trump said after the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague.
The pivot comes as NATO nations more than doubled their collective defense spending target – raising the bar from 2% to 5% of GDP.
The president's renewed embrace of the alliance follows years of friction, high-profile clashes with world leaders and controversial comments. Yet at this year's summit, the tone was strikingly different.
Trump was welcomed by Dutch royals, praised by the NATO secretary-general – who even referred to him as "daddy" – and returned home lauding European allies for their patriotism. "It's not a rip-off, and we're here to help them," Trump told reporters.
The transformation is as dramatic as it is unexpected.
Trump arrived at the NATO summit on a high note, following U.S. strikes that crippled Iran's nuclear infrastructure. According to American and allied intelligence sources, the operation set back Tehran's nuclear ambitions by several years.
The strike was widely seen as both a show of strength and a strategic warning – not just to Iran but to NATO adversaries like Russia and China.
"He really came in from this power move," said Giedrimas Jeglinskas, a former NATO official and current chairman of Lithuania's national security committee.
"Among some, definitely Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Nordic Europe, this attack, the use of those really sophisticated weapons and bombers, was the rebuilding of the deterrence narrative of the West, not just of America."
Trump repeatedly called NATO "obsolete," questioning its relevance and slamming allies for failing to pay their "fair share."
"It's costing us too much money... We're paying disproportionately. It's too much," he said in March 2016.
He criticized NATO for lacking focus on terrorism, later taking credit when it created a chief intelligence post.
Trump softened his tone after becoming president.
"We strongly support NATO," he said after visiting Central Command. "We only ask that all members make their full and proper financial contribution."
He continued to push for members to meet the 2% target by 2024.
Trump privately threatened to pull the U.S. from NATO unless allies increased spending.
"Now we are in World War III protecting a country that wasn't paying its bills," he warned.
Despite the posturing, he called NATO a "fine-tuned machine" after extracting new spending commitments. He also accused Germany of being a "captive of Russia" over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
The drama continued, this time with French President Emmanuel Macron calling NATO "brain-dead."
"NATO serves a great purpose. I think that's very insulting," Trump responded.
He also clashed with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – calling him "two-faced" after Trudeau was caught mocking Trump on camera.
Trump ordered 12,000 U.S. troops out of Germany, citing Berlin's defense shortfalls.
Trump ignited backlash after suggesting he'd let Russia "do whatever the hell they want" to NATO countries that failed to meet spending obligations.
The remark sparked urgent contingency talks among European leaders about the future of the alliance if the U.S. did not step up to its defense.
The 2025 summit in The Hague unfolded with surprising calm. Trump's hosts rolled out the red carpet. "He's the man of the hour and the most important man in the world," Jeglinskas said.
Jeglinskas credited Trump's blunt diplomacy – however unorthodox – for helping drive real reform "He's brought in tectonic change to the alliance's capabilities by... being himself," he added. "It's a gift for the alliance."
Experts agree NATO's recent revitalization stems from two major catalysts: Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Trump's relentless pressure on allies to boost defense.
"President Trump is riding high this week with two major foreign policy victories," said Matthew Kroenig, vice president at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center, referencing NATO and the recent U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program. "It's terrific. I hope he can keep it up."
He added, "Every president since Eisenhower has complained that NATO allies aren't doing their fair share."
Now, Trump was the one who finally got them to listen, he said.
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