- Elon Musk, a prominent tech mogul and adviser to President Donald Trump, expressed his support for the United States withdrawing from NATO, a sentiment echoed by Republican lawmakers.
- Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) cited concerns about the U.S. bearing a disproportionate amount of NATO's defense spending, with the U.S. representing about 70 percent of NATO's total defense spending.
- Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) described NATO as a "Cold War relic," suggesting that its original purpose of deterring the Soviet Union is no longer relevant in today's geopolitical landscape.
- Republican lawmakers have long questioned the value of U.S. membership in NATO, citing the imbalance in defense spending contributions and the perception that the alliance no longer serves the U.S.'s strategic interests effectively.
Two prominent Republican lawmakers have joined tech mogul Elon Musk in calling for the withdrawal of the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
On March 1, Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and adviser to President Donald Trump, shared a post that read, "I agree" to a statement of an X (formerly Twitter) user asserting, "It's time to leave NATO and the UN."
That same day, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) also posted a succinct message on X in support of Musk's statement. "Get us out of NATO." His statement was accompanied by a chart illustrating that the U.S. represents approximately 70 percent of the entire annual combined defense spending of NATO countries. (Related: Sen. Mike Lee urges U.S. exit from NATO after Norwegian fuel company refuses to refuel American ships over Ukraine dispute.)
He also referenced a comment by Rod Martin, who noted that the Europeans "aren't gonna do jack," implying that the U.S. is not receiving adequate support or contributions from its NATO allies.
This concern revolves around the idea that the U.S. is bearing an excessive burden in terms of defense spending, while other European nations contribute less. He has repeatedly argued that the alliance is a "great deal for Europe" but not for the United States. This sentiment has gained traction among some Republican lawmakers, who have been questioning the value of U.S. membership in NATO for years.
The next day, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) echoed the sentiments of Musk and Lee on the same platform, sharing his tweet and describing NATO as a "Cold War relic that needs to be relegated to a talking kiosk at the Smithsonian." His statement underscores the perception that its original purpose of deterring the Soviet Union is no longer relevant in today's world.
Trump's criticism of NATO plays an important role in Musk's stance
Trump frequently criticized European nations for not meeting their defense spending commitments since his first presidential campaign in 2019. Since then, he has been arguing that the U.S. was carrying too much of the burden to maintain the alliance's security.
For instance, during his first presidential campaign, Trump frequently referred to the alliance as "obsolete," and in August 2019, former National Security Advisor John Bolton revealed that Trump said, "I don’t give a s**t about NATO."
Moreover, French European Commissioner Thierry Breton revealed that Trump privately warned European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the U.S. would not come to Europe's aid in the event of a military attack.
In his second term, Trump has continued to criticize NATO, pushing for member countries to increase their defense spending to five percent of their GDP, a level far above the current two percent target set by NATO. No member state, including the U.S, currently meets this higher threshold.
Trump's persistent criticism of NATO has played an important role in the arguments of Musk and other Republican lawmakers.
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