Dhaka, March 7 -- US President Donald Trump cast doubt on Thursday on his willingness to defend Washington's NATO allies, saying he would not do so if they are not paying enough for their own defense.

"It's common sense, right," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "If they don't pay, I'm not going to defend them. No, I'm not going to defend them."

Trump said he has been of this view for years and shared it with NATO allies during his 2017-2021 presidential term. Those efforts prompted more spending from other members of the 75-year-old transatlantic alliance, he said, but "even now, it's not enough." He added, "They should be paying more," as per a Reuters report.

A mutual assistance clause lies at the heart of the NATO alliance, ...