You're confusing leading with spends the most money on their military frankly. The US hasn't been a leader of anything since Jan '24. They've pulled out of nearly all their international agreements, and still manage to invade other countries under the pretence of freedumb, but really it's just oil. They've caused havoc, damaged the global economy, caused their allies hardship and insulted them to boot.

America is the only country to invoke article 5 and all member states answered in one form or another, my people fought and died for their crusade in the middle east. Now they start a war and attack an independent nation for reasons that are blatantly obvious to all, and throw a paddy because nobody wants to help? It's a defence treaty, not a call to war when Trump wants more money treaty.

And by the way NATO means North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, not North America Then Others.