Report raises fresh doubts over Trump's NATO commitment

Fresh doubts surfaced Tuesday over President Donald Trump's commitment to NATO, after he was reported to have discussed a desire to pull out of the trans-Atlantic military alliance.

Last year, Trump repeatedly told senior officials that he did not see the point of NATO -- the historic alliance that forms the backbone of the West's post-World War II security order -- and that he wanted to withdraw, The New York Times reported.

He has often blasted members of the 29-nation partnership for not paying more into their national defense budgets.

Before taking office, Trump called NATO "obsolete" and soon after a tumultuous summit in July, he questioned whether the US would honour the alliance's founding principle of mutual defense for newest member

Montenegro.

Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesman, said the US remains "100 per cent" committed to NATO.

At the summit the president said the US "commitment to NATO is very strong" and "tremendous progress has been made" by allies and partners. "That .