In a significant shift of US foreign policy, President Donald Trump continues to challenge the future and role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Trump's statements and actions have raised concerns about the unraveling of the alliance that has been crucial in shaping global stability for over 70 years.
NATO, formed in 1949 in the aftermath of World War II, was designed to serve as a collective defense pact among its member countries. Initially starting with 12 countries, it has grown to include 31 member nations today. Amid the array of military and humanitarian operations, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in its history in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the United States. Article 5 reiterates the principle that an attack on one member is an attack on all, and every member is obligated to defend each other.
