Let's make it clear from the outset that former President Donald Trump has no real policy toward NATO. That is, his views and utterances on NATO have nothing to do with putting forward a coherent foreign policy or any kind of rational world view. He is simply motivated to "rip" NATO based on revenge, incumbent defeat, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trying to undermine, destroy, or rip NATO apart—however one wants to characterize it—is totally motivated by a personal Trump agenda and devoid of any policy formulation.
It is utterly at odds with the U.S.'s best interest to undermines NATO, particularly at this critical point in the fight against Russia in Ukraine. But Trump went further, encouraging the alliance's enemies to attack any NATO member country that hasn't spent enough money on defense: "You're delinquent? No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want."
Once again, he displays the fact that he is unable to understand policy, let alone create it. He seems to think that NATO is a mafia protection scheme, where all the little countries have to kick up their "cut" of defense spending to the big boss, i.e. the United States.
This emotional outburst is not coming as a reaction to a strategic outlook on the United States' position in the world, but is instead a function of the personal predilections of an emotionally unstable candidate for the presidency.
First, the question of coming to the aid of a NATO member—as posed by Trump—clearly comes in the context of the Ukraine war. He has already been successful in getting Republicans in the House of Representatives to attempt to curtail further American aid for Ukraine. The price for his contempt for sound policy will soon be paid in lives.
However, what lies behind this stance is that Trump was impeached........