President Trump told aides numerous times last year that he wants to pull the U.S. out of NATO, essentially destroying the 70-year-old military alliance between the U.S., Canada, and Europe, senior administration officials tell The New York Times. Trump, who does not favor alliances, most frequently complains about European nations not spending enough on defense, portraying that as an unacceptable burden on the U.S.

Weakening or neutering NATO is perhaps the top geopolitical goal of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Trump's "repeatedly stated desire to withdraw from NATO is raising new worries among national security officials amid growing concern about Mr. Trump's efforts to keep his meetings with Mr. Putin secret from even his own aides, and an FBI investigation into the administration's Russia ties," the Times reported Monday night. When Trump first brought up leaving NATO, "senior administration officials were unsure if he was serious," the Times adds, but:

Mr. Trump's skepticism of NATO appears to be a core belief, administration officials said, akin to his desire to expropriate Iraq's oil. While officials have explained multiple times why the United States cannot take Iraq's oil, Mr. Trump returns to the issue every few months. Similarly, just when officials think the issue of NATO membership has been settled, Mr. Trump again brings up his desire to leave the alliance. [The New York Times]

Withdrawing from NATO would be "a geopolitical mistake of epic proportion," retired Adm. James Stavridis, NATO's former supreme commander, tells the Times. "Even discussing the idea of leaving NATO — let alone actually doing so — would be the gift of the century for Putin." Former Under Secretary of Defense Michèle Flournoy concurred, calling the decision "the wildest success that Vladimir Putin could dream of." NATO has strong support in Congress, and if Trump decided to withdraw, lawmakers would have a year to try to block the move. Read more at The New York Times. Peter Weber