Acting on impulse comes easily to President Donald Trump, as shown by his boastful rhetoric and sporadic, arbitrary moves. After his Iran operation ran into resistance, he threatened on April 1 to pull the United States out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) — a step that may be legally and practically difficult to carry out.
Congress has moved to limit unilateral withdrawal. In 2023, legislation tied to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2024 set conditions that effectively prevent the president from leaving NATO without Congressional approval. The NDAA also specifies that Senate approval would require a two‑thirds majority. Given current Senate arithmetic and Trump’s slipping popularity, securing that margin would be extremely difficult. The other route would be a new law passed by Congress authorizing withdrawal, which would need cross‑party support. Practically, any attempt to quit NATO could end up in the courts.
Throughout his second term, Trump has attacked the alliance, calling members “freeloaders” and “paper tigers.” His threat to quit stems in part from frustration over limited European backing for a joint US‑Israel military action in Iran and concerns about Iranian influence in the Strait of Hormuz. European NATO members argued they were not consulted and saw no direct attack on them, so they were reluctant to join such an operation. Past cooperation — including large European support for the US in Afghanistan — contrasts with the current rift.
Founded in 1949 to deter Soviet expansion, NATO has been the cornerstone of Western security. A US withdrawal would be a massive logistical challenge because of the extensive American military presence and the nuclear umbrella that reassured Europe. The credibility of the alliance would suffer, likely increasing Russian and Chinese influence and prompting major European powers such as the UK, France and Germany to strengthen their own militaries.
