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GOP Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Pull U.S. Out of NATO
(MENAFN) A Republican congressman has unveiled legislation to withdraw the US from NATO, branding the alliance a "Cold War relic" that has drained "trillions" of dollars from American taxpayers.
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced the legislation on Tuesday, stating that the military bloc was created to counter the long-gone Soviet Union and that taxpayers' money would be better spent elsewhere.
"We should withdraw from NATO and use that money to defend our own country, not socialist countries… US participation has cost taxpayers trillions of dollars and continues to risk US involvement in foreign wars… America should not be the world's security blanket – especially when wealthy countries refuse to pay for their own defense," Massie said.
If enacted, the bill would mandate that the US government formally notify NATO of its intent to terminate membership and cease allocating American funds toward the bloc's shared budgets.
The initiative mirrors a parallel effort this year from Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who introduced legislation arguing that US NATO membership no longer reflects America's strategic needs. His measure, however, stalled in committee, and Massie's effort is likely to face the same steep odds in a Congress that has repeatedly signaled bipartisan support for staying in the bloc.
US President Donald Trump and several of his Republican allies have long argued that Washington pays far more than its fair share and have criticized EU governments for falling short on defense spending. Trump at one point warned that the US could opt not to defend "delinquent" members of the bloc in case of a potential attack.
Responding to Trump's mounting pressure on the bloc, NATO members agreed this year to gradually raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP, far above the old 2% guideline. The push comes as European NATO members in particular have sought to portray Russia as a "threat," with Western media and officials claiming that Moscow could launch a full-blown attack on the bloc within several years.
Russia has dismissed the allegations as "nonsense," suggesting that the bloc is demonizing Moscow and pursuing a path of "rampant militarization."
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced the legislation on Tuesday, stating that the military bloc was created to counter the long-gone Soviet Union and that taxpayers' money would be better spent elsewhere.
"We should withdraw from NATO and use that money to defend our own country, not socialist countries… US participation has cost taxpayers trillions of dollars and continues to risk US involvement in foreign wars… America should not be the world's security blanket – especially when wealthy countries refuse to pay for their own defense," Massie said.
If enacted, the bill would mandate that the US government formally notify NATO of its intent to terminate membership and cease allocating American funds toward the bloc's shared budgets.
The initiative mirrors a parallel effort this year from Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who introduced legislation arguing that US NATO membership no longer reflects America's strategic needs. His measure, however, stalled in committee, and Massie's effort is likely to face the same steep odds in a Congress that has repeatedly signaled bipartisan support for staying in the bloc.
US President Donald Trump and several of his Republican allies have long argued that Washington pays far more than its fair share and have criticized EU governments for falling short on defense spending. Trump at one point warned that the US could opt not to defend "delinquent" members of the bloc in case of a potential attack.
Responding to Trump's mounting pressure on the bloc, NATO members agreed this year to gradually raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP, far above the old 2% guideline. The push comes as European NATO members in particular have sought to portray Russia as a "threat," with Western media and officials claiming that Moscow could launch a full-blown attack on the bloc within several years.
Russia has dismissed the allegations as "nonsense," suggesting that the bloc is demonizing Moscow and pursuing a path of "rampant militarization."
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