It's not hard to see why Europe wonders whether the U.S. is still a reliable ally.

Take these comments from then-candidate Trump on the campaign trail before he was elected to a second term.

He was recounting a discussion with other NATO leaders about how much spending member countries should contribute to defense.

One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, well, sir, if we don't pay and

we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us? I said, you didn't pay, you're delinquent?

He said, yes, let's say that happened. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage

them to do whatever the hell they want.

You got to pay. You got to pay your bill. Not the words you want to hear from a key ally.

In the months after his reelection, the relationship continued to be bumpy.

President Trump appeared to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin in peace negotiations with Ukraine, stunning European allies.

Then, in March, he temporarily cut off

U.S. aid to Ukraine. And in April, he imposed steep tariffs on imports from Europe. Some,

but not all of those, have since been paused. European Commission President Ursula Fonderlyan

told a German newspaper that, quote,

the West as we knew it no longer exists.

Here she is at a press conference in March.

The world around us is changing at lightning speed.

Geopolitical shifts are shaking alliances.

Decade-old certainties are crumbling, and we still have a brutal war raging at our borders.

Asked directly about Trump.

She said that, yes, the U.S. was still an ally, but also this.

I think it's a very strong wake-up call and Europe's moment now really to step up in defense.

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