How did NATO leaders impress the president? Through pampering and genuflecting flattery, which worked surprisingly well.

The leaders reaffirmed their “ironclad commitment” to NATO’s collective defense clause, Article 5. In recent years, Trump had sowed seeds of doubt about whether the U.S. — NATO’s most powerful member — would come to the aid of any ally under attack.

The President rode in on a wave of momentum, but events during his trip revealed the risks of his disruptive approach: