Republican Lawmaker Proposes US Exit from NATO

(MENAFN) A Republican representative has put forward a bill aiming to withdraw the United States from NATO, claiming the alliance is a “Cold War relic” that costs American taxpayers “trillions” of dollars.

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky submitted the proposal on Tuesday, arguing that the military alliance was originally established to counter the now-defunct Soviet Union. He suggested that taxpayer money could be allocated more effectively elsewhere.

Massie stated, “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.”

If enacted, the legislation would require the US government to formally inform NATO of its intention to terminate membership and to stop contributing American funds to the alliance’s shared budgets.

This initiative follows a similar effort earlier this year by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who introduced a measure claiming that US involvement in NATO no longer aligns with the country’s strategic priorities.

However, his bill stalled in committee, and Massie’s proposal is expected to encounter similar challenges in a Congress that has consistently demonstrated bipartisan support for remaining in the alliance.

US President Donald Trump, along with several Republican allies, has frequently argued that Washington bears an excessive financial burden and criticized European Union governments for inadequate defense spending.

At one point, Trump even warned that the US might choose not to defend “delinquent” NATO members in the event of a potential attack.

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