Massie introduces bill to end American NATO membership

Posted: 12th December 2025

“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.

Massie’s proposal parallels a Senate bill introduced earlier this year by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also titled the NATO Act and dubbed the “Not A Trusted Organization (NATO) Act.” Lee said in a June press release that “America’s withdrawal from NATO is long overdue,” arguing the alliance has become a “raw deal” for U.S. taxpayers because European members still fail to meet defense spending commitments.

Massie’s bill has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Lee’s Senate bill remains pending in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.