Yes, the NYT is often seen as a prominent source, though it’s not without its controversies, like the Russiagate narrative. The headline seems misleading. Trump tends to overstate, claiming his economy was the best and will be again. What’s more significant is his proposed changes, such as encouraging allies to contribute more.
Neither candidate has proposed reducing military spending. Military expenditures will rise each year, regardless of our allies’ contributions, because cutting military spending tends to be politically unpopular.
Which allies do you think Trump will push to “pay their fair share”? Did you assume he was referring to Taiwan?
Which ones did he mention during the debate? Regardless, you seem overly focused on the specifics here.
We might be able to negotiate better deals with some countries, while with others, negotiation may not be feasible.
Specifics are important. A vague theory suggesting that we might consider spending less if others spend more is ineffective. The reality is that it has never worked that way and never will. There’s nothing to negotiate—other countries don’t control our spending; we set it ourselves, and that’s always been the case.