This legislation mandates that the President formally initiate the United States' withdrawal from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by giving notice of denunciation of the North Atlantic Treaty within 30 days of the Act's enactment. This action is intended to fulfill the congressional authorization requirement for such a withdrawal, as specified in existing law. The bill's findings assert that NATO's founding collective defense mission became irrelevant after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. It argues that NATO's eastward expansion provoked Russia and that the United States disproportionately shoulders the financial and military burden, while many European members fail to meet their defense spending pledges. Furthermore, the Act prohibits the use of any U.S. funds for contributions to NATO's common-funded budgets, including civil, military, and Security Investment Programs, reflecting the view that U.S. membership is inconsistent with national security interests.
This legislation mandates that the President formally initiate the United States' withdrawal from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by giving notice of denunciation of the North Atlantic Treaty within 30 days of the Act's enactment. This action is intended to fulfill the congressional authorization requirement for such a withdrawal, as specified in existing law. The bill's findings assert that NATO's founding collective defense mission became irrelevant after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. It argues that NATO's eastward expansion provoked Russia and that the United States disproportionately shoulders the financial and military burden, while many European members fail to meet their defense spending pledges. Furthermore, the Act prohibits the use of any U.S. funds for contributions to NATO's common-funded budgets, including civil, military, and Security Investment Programs, reflecting the view that U.S. membership is inconsistent with national security interests.