Donald Trump has declared NATO is "no longer obsolete", saying he was committed to the military alliance.
Shortly before taking office in January, Mr Trump questioned its relevance, saying the organisation, established after World War Two, was "obsolete because it was designed many, many years ago".
And "the (member) countries aren't paying what they're supposed to pay", he said.
But now the President has made a U-turn, describing the alliance as a "bulwark of international peace and security".
He has again called on alliance members to spend 2% of their GDP on defence within a decade, following White House talks with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.
"If other countries pay their fair share rather than relying on the United States to make up the difference, we will all be much more secure," Mr Trump told reporters.
He said: "The secretary general and I had a productive discussion about what more NATO can do in the fight against terrorism.
"I complained about that a longer time ago and they made a change and now they do fight terrorism.
"I said it was obsolete, it's no longer obsolete."
So far, only five of the 28 NATO members, including the UK, spend 2% of their GDP on defence, but the number is expected to rise next year.
Mr Stoltenberg said NATO provides crucial support to the coalition fighting Islamic State, as well as help training soldiers and intelligence sharing.
He says NATO has committed to do more in the global fight against terrorism and is committed to ensuring defence costs are split more fairly.
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