Donald Trump has claimed NATO is now “becoming the opposite of obsolete”, softening his long-held criticism of the alliance as member states increase their defence spending and financial commitments.
Speaking to reports on Tuesday, the US president said the military alliance was “doing much better” and indicated a shift in his position on its core principle of collective defence. “I think collective defence is fine,” he remarked.
Trump’s comments follow a visit to Washington by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who met the former president at the White House on Monday. The Dutch prime minister is said to have urged Trump to maintain US support for both NATO and Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing assault.
During their meeting in the Oval Office, Trump announced that NATO allies would now fund the purchase of US-made Patriot missile defence systems and other weaponry destined for Ukraine, his most significant public move in support of Kyiv to date.
The pair also met at last month’s NATO summit in The Hague, where Rutte made headlines after jokingly referring to Trump as “daddy”, a remark that sparked widespread reaction online.
The meeting comes as Trump adopts a noticeably tougher tone on Vladimir Putin, although he stopped short of severing ties entirely. In the interview, he was asked whether he was “done” with the Russian president, to which he responded: “I’m disappointed in him, but I’m not done with him. But I’m disappointed in him.”
The remarks follow Trump’s warning on Monday that Russia would face 100 per cent tariffs if Putin does not bring an end to the war in Ukraine within 50 days, a dramatic escalation in rhetoric that signals growing impatience over the Kremlin’s refusal to negotiate peace.
Trump, who has previously questioned the value of NATO and the US’s financial role within it, appears to be recalibrating his position as pressure mounts over the alliance’s response to Russia’s invasion and Ukraine’s continued need for military support.
While the full extent of Trump’s policy intentions remains unclear, the shift in tone suggests a renewed, if cautious, endorsement of NATO’s purpose, as long as financial contributions are more evenly shared.
