President Donald Trump aimed to reassure American allies about military support Monday, but again said he expects them to contribute more to defense.



Speaking after a meeting with the United States Central Command, Trump affirmed support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the military alliance he criticized on the campaign trail. While he signaled his backing for the 28-member group, Trump urged allies to "pay their fair share" as part of the alliance.

"They're very unfair to us. We strongly support NATO, we only ask that all NATO members make their full and proper financial contribution to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing," Trump told military officials at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

As a candidate, Trump sparked concerns in Europe for suggesting that he could set conditions for defending members who were under attack. He questioned NATO's continued relevance.