Massie introduces bill to end American NATO membership
Caroline MolloyRepublican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced legislation Dec. 9 to withdraw the U.S. from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), arguing the alliance has outlived its Cold War purpose and now places an unfair financial burden on American taxpayers.
“NATO is a Cold War relic. We should withdraw from NATO and use that money to defend our own country, not socialist countries,” Massie said on X, announcing he had introduced H.R. 6508.
Massie argued in a press release that the Soviet Union — the threat NATO was created to counter — collapsed more than 30 years ago and no longer serves U.S. national security interests. American participation has since cost taxpayers “trillions of dollars” and “continues to risk U.S. involvement in foreign wars,” he said.
“Our Constitution did not authorize permanent foreign entanglements, something our Founding Fathers explicitly warned us against,” Massie added. “America should not be the world’s security blanket — especially when wealthy countries refuse to pay for their own defense.”
The measure, titled the NATO Act, directs President Donald Trump to formally notify NATO of the U.S. intent to withdraw under Article 13 of the treaty, which requires a one-year withdrawal notice. It also cuts off U.S. funding for NATO’s common civil, military, and infrastructure budgets. The legislation argues that European members have the economic and military capacity to defend themselves.
NATO, founded in 1949 with 12 original member states including the U.S., now includes 32 nations.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida quickly announced on social media that she plans to cosponsor the bill.
