U. S. Congressman Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, has introduced a bill calling for the United States to withdraw from NATO.

Massie wrote on December 9 on X that he considers NATO a relic of the Cold War. He argued that the United States should leave the alliance and redirect the funds it spends on NATO toward defending itself rather than supporting what he described as socialist states. He added that he had already submitted a bill to terminate U.S. membership in the bloc.

The document asserts that European NATO members possess sufficient economic and military capabilities to guarantee their own security. It also states that the alliance began a large-scale eastward expansion in 1999 despite having lost its original strategic purpose and despite earlier statements suggesting such moves would not occur. According to the bill, NATO membership no longer aligns with U.S. national security interests.

It remains unclear when the House of Representatives might consider the proposal, as it must first pass through the relevant committees.

Massie has previously opposed U.S. intervention abroad and Washington’s use of military force. He argued, for example, that U.S. strikes on targets in Iran on June 22 violated the American Constitution. President Donald Trump criticized Massie for his position and said he intended to support Massie’s rival in the Republican primary.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established in 1949. The foundational Washington Treaty on collective security was signed on April 4, 1949, by the foreign ministers of 12 countries: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. NATO has undergone ten rounds of enlargement — three during the Cold War (1952, 1955, 1982) and seven after its end (1999, 2004, 2009, 2017, 2020, 2023, 2024). The alliance currently includes 32 member states.