In the US House of Representatives, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie (from Kentucky) introduced a bill calling for the United States to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The initiative, dubbed the NATO Act (HR 6508), also known as the Withdrawal from an Unreliable Organization Act, has sparked heated debate in political circles in America and beyond.
The bill requires the US president to notify NATO of the denunciation of the North Atlantic Treaty in accordance with Article 13 of the document no later than 30 days after the law comes into force. In addition, it prohibits the use of US taxpayer funds to finance the alliance’s budget. According to Massie, NATO is a “relic of the Cold War” that has lost its relevance since the end of the conflict. “The US should withdraw from NATO and use the savings to defend its own country, not ‘socialist states’,” the congressman said in an official statement from his office.
Messy emphasizes that European members of the alliance are now capable of defending themselves, and that American resources are better directed toward domestic priorities, including national security. This position echoes statements made by President Donald Trump in his updated National Security Strategy, which emphasizes reducing spending on foreign allies in favor of domestic needs.
Massey’s initiative did not go without support in the upper house of Congress: Republican Senator Mike Lee (from Utah) had previously introduced a similar bill, S.2174, in the Senate. Both documents are aimed at meeting the requirements of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, which provides for congressional approval for any withdrawal from NATO.
Despite the lack of widespread support in Congress at this time, the introduction of the bill signals growing dissatisfaction with the US’s role as the main sponsor of European security. Former US Permanent Representative to NATO Ivo Daalder warned that such initiatives could serve as a basis for Washington’s actual refusal to fulfill its alliance obligations, which would undermine the stability of the alliance.
European leaders have expressed concern about the possible consequences for transatlantic relations. While the bill has been sent to the relevant committees for review, its future remains uncertain in a polarized Congress.