During his four years at the White House, Donald Trump has undone deals and splintered alliances like no other US president before him.

When Trump finally does leave the White House, Joe Biden says he wants to redefine the U.

S s position on many issues, from the Paris climate accord to its place that the U.

N.

Washington's tone towards NATO also shifted dramatically under the Trump administration.

But as Teri Schultz finds out, that may have actually helped the alliance NATO trains for defending itself in plenty of hostile environment.

But President Trump's politics sometimes presented a new challenge for the alliance.

Attacks from within.

Germany is a captive aversion.

Trump set the tone for his relationship with NATO on his first visit to headquarters.

Push came to shove immediately in more ways than one.

In his prepared remarks prepared by his staff.

Hey was supposed to recommit to NATO's Article five mutual defense clause, and he deliberately avoided doing that at what was meant to be a somber reflection on solidarity with memorials to 9 11 and the Berlin Wall, Trump focused on allies low defense spending.

Many of these nations, oh, massive amounts of money from past years and not paying in those past years.

In that sent a signal which, even though he later did say the magic words after a lot of coaxing and coaching, you know that signal was out there.

Those magic words all for one and one for all.

NATO's bedrock but hard for Trump to say the one he tends to focus on is himself.

Because of me, they've raised about $40 billion over the last year, so I think the secretary general like Trump Trump, has consistently distorted facts about how NATO is funded, which is primarily nations investing in their own militaries.

But one of his talking points is partially true, though he can't take credit for Europeans reversing spending declines, which started years before he took office, his constant pressure likely did encourage allies to bump up their budgets as fast as they could.

And that, says outgoing U.

S.

Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison, is a positive legacy.

We have done so much that's good, and I think the president pushed hard for NATO allies too step up and they've done it and NATO is stronger and more unified than ever before, she expects a smooth transition to President elect Biden.

There's no doubt that he will be Ah, Trans Atlanticist.

He will believe in NATO.

He will support NATO and the American leadership of NATO.

But is it possible that Trump spotlight might actually be missed?

The alliance has never gotten so much attention.

So many headlines, such fervent support from the U.

S Congress.

Paul Taylor thinks a return to traditional policy making will be welcome.

Remember an Estonian officials saying to me, Uh in about 2018, when Trump came to Brussels for a NATO summit, said, You know, frankly, the end of NATO, maybe just a tweet away.

Former administration officials say Trump talked of wanting to quit NATO, but in the end, he just may have come around.

When French President Emmanuel Macron last year called the Alliance brain dead, Trump blasted him, saying, You just can't go around making statements like that about NATO.