Story highlights Trump has criticized NATO in the past as "obsolete"

NATO Secretary General: US ramping up its military presence in Europe is proof of Trump's new position

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump is "absolutely" committed to NATO despite his past comments disparaging the alliance, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday.

"He has, in meetings with me and publicly when I met him in the White House last month, stated that he's committed to NATO," Stoltenberg said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "His security team has also stated that very clearly."

During his presidential campaign, Trump called NATO "obsolete." But after meeting with Stoltenberg in April, Trump said he'd changed his views after NATO's leaders assured him the group would turn its attention to combating terror groups such as ISIS.

Stoltenberg pointed to the US moving to ramp up its military presence in Europe as proof of Trump's new position.

"More important is that the US is now increasing their military presence in Europe for the first time since the end of the Cold War," Stoltenberg said. "President Trump just suggested a 40% increase in funding for US military presence in Europe. We will have a new armored brigade. We will have more training, more equipment, more infrastructure. So actions speak louder than words."

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