April 1, 2026 / 3:21 PM EDT / CBS News
Washington — President Trump says he is considering pulling the United States out of NATO, renewing his long-standing complaints that many allies do not pay enough for their own defense and more recently criticizing their responses during the war with Iran.
A 2023 law, advanced in part by now‑Secretary of State Marco Rubio and included in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2024, bars a president from suspending, terminating, denouncing or withdrawing the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty except with the Senate’s advice and consent (two‑thirds of those present) or by an Act of Congress. Still, legal experts say the statute might not prevent a president from attempting a unilateral exit, and any such move would almost certainly trigger litigation.
What is NATO?
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, founded in 1949, is a defensive alliance created after World War II to protect North America and Europe. It began with 12 members and has expanded to 32, most recently admitting Finland in 2023 and Sweden in 2024. NATO’s central commitment is Article 5, which treats an attack on one ally as an attack on all.
Why Mr. Trump has raised the possibility
Trump has long criticized NATO allies for not meeting defense spending targets, calling some unreliable and saying the U.S. bears too large a share of collective defense costs. During his 2024 campaign he pressed allies to increase spending and warned he would reconsider U.S. commitments if they failed to pay their “fair share.” Allies subsequently agreed to increased defense budgets.
Tensions flared anew during the Iran war when several NATO partners denied U.S. requests to use airspace or bases and declined to send ships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Asked by Britain’s Telegraph whether he would revisit U.S. NATO membership after that conflict, Trump said it was “beyond reconsideration” and called the alliance a “paper tiger.” He told Reuters he is “absolutely” considering trying to leave NATO and has told reporters, “I don’t need Congress for that decision,” adding, “I can make that decision myself.”
Sen. Rubio, who helped sponsor the 2023 provision while in the Senate, has said the U.S. must reassess the relationship if allies will not allow use of bases during a conflict and that the partnership would be reexamined after the war. He said ultimately the president must make decisions about policy.
Can the president do it alone?
NATO’s Article 13 allows a member to withdraw one year after giving notice. But the 2023 congressional provision explicitly requires Senate approval or an act of Congress to withdraw. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer posted on X that the Senate “will not vote to leave NATO and abandon our allies just because Trump is upset they wouldn’t go along with his reckless war of choice.” Many Democrats and a number of Republicans are expected to oppose any withdrawal.
Some constitutional scholars contend a president might try to assert executive authority to sidestep the statute, setting up a high‑stakes court fight over separation of powers and treaty termination authority.
Possible effects without a formal exit
Observers warn that even without a formal withdrawal, a confrontational U.S. stance could erode the alliance. Washington has reduced its role in some exercises while pressing Europeans to spend more. Critics say doubts about whether the U.S. would honor Article 5 or maintain extended nuclear deterrence would damage the alliance’s credibility.
Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, said that while a president cannot legally leave NATO without the Senate, if allies “can’t trust” U.S. commitments to Article 5, “the alliance is already broken in the way that matters most.”
Tucker Reals and Haley Ott contributed to this report.