Report comes days after multiple reports surfaced since late Friday illustrating the FBI’s concern that Trump could be working for the benefit of Russia – NATO’s main rival

Haaretz 

U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly brought up the idea in 2018 for the U.S. to withdraw from the NATO, The New York Times reported Monday.

A White House official responded to the New York Times saying the president’s past comments affirmed the U.S. commitment to NATO was “very strong” and the alliance was “very important.”

The report comes days after multiple reports surfaced since late Friday illustrating the FBI’s concern that Trump could be working for the benefit of Russia.

In July 2018, at a NATO summit, Trump stressed that NATO’s budget had been unfair to the United States but now he was sure it would be fair. Allies would be increasing spending by $33 billion or more, he added.

He also said he thought spending of 4 percent on defence, similar to the U.S. level, would be the right level.

Earlier in the summit Trump significantly toughened his tone on NATO defense spending, singling out Germany, Spain and Belgium in a closed-door session.

Multiple reports following July’s NATO summit claimed that Trump threatened to withdraw from the alliance if other countries did not commit to a spending increase.