Former President Donald Trump recently made comments about the role of NATO, saying countries need to pay their dues to receive support from other members of the organization.But that's not how NATO works.The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established in 1949 and consisted of 12 countries in the aftermath of World War II to counteract the expanding Soviet control in Europe."One of the principles you hear about a lot is Article Five of the founding treaty," the broadcast stated. This principle requires collective action against aggressors, asserting that an attack against one NATO member is considered an attack against all.Last week, former President Donald Trump made campaign comments that alarmed many. "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 and 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," Trump said.Fact-checking partners at FactCheck.org noted that this is not the first time Trump has misrepresented how NATO operates or suggested that the U.S. might not honor its commitment.NATO members do not pay to belong to the organization and do not owe anything other than contributions to a largely administrative fund, considered as direct payments. However, Trump has frequently complained about this during his presidency, focusing on how much NATO countries contribute to their own military budgets, considered as indirect payments.The U.S. spends more on its military than most other countries, a fact noted by Trump and previous presidents. During the Obama administration, NATO members agreed to move towards spending 2% of GDP on national defense. However, this is a voluntary benchmark, and there is no debt or delinquency involved.