In an interview aired on NBC News on Sunday, Trump, who is set to return to the White House as the 47th U.S. President on January 20, outlined shifts in domestic and foreign policies he plans to implement once he takes office.

He said: “NATO [European nations] has taken advantage of us [U.S.] on trade. They don’t take our cars, they don’t take our food products, they don’t take anything. It’s a disgrace.

“On top of that, we defend them, so it’s a double-whammy.”

He continued: “I was able to get hundreds of billions of dollars put into NATO just by a tough attitude. I said to the countries: I am not gonna protect you unless you pay, and they started paying, and that amounted to more than 600 billion dollars.”

When asked whether he would keep the United States in the alliance, Trump said: “If they [allies] are paying their bills, and if I think they are treating us fairly, the answer is: absolutely, I will stay with NATO.”

However, if the allies did not pay their dues, Trump said he would “absolutely” consider withdrawing the U.S. from NATO.

The Republican, during his previous term as president, consistently pressed European nations to increase their military spending, demanding that they allocate at least 3% of their GDP to defense to ensure an equitable contribution to collective security within NATO.

Among NATO countries, Poland allocates the largest share of its GDP to defense, spending 4.12%.

The 2025 budget announced by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in August raises this figure to 4.7%—a record amount aimed at bolstering Poland’s security amid threats of Russian aggression.

“Poland is taking its role within NATO seriously,” Tusk said as he unveiled the budget, adding: “This budget reflects our determination to ensure the safety of our nation and our allies.”