Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on Wednesday introduced a bill that would pull the United States out of the NATO alliance.
Massie's move lands at a moment when President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned NATO members to meet higher defense-spending targets and has questioned why the United States continues carrying so much of the burden.
Massie said in his announcement that the time has come to reconsider America's role in a treaty he argues no longer serves U.S. interests.
He declared that "NATO is a Cold War relic" and insisted the United States "should withdraw from NATO and use that money to defend our own country, not socialist countries," according to his statement.
He argued that NATO's original mission to counter the Soviet Union "collapsed over thirty years ago," and he said U.S. participation "has cost taxpayers trillions of dollars and continues to risk U.S. involvement in foreign wars," as he put it.
Massie's position mirrors some of Trump's strongest recent criticisms of NATO spending, including the president's push for all members to reach at least 3.5% of GDP in defense investment by 2035, which Trump has said is necessary to end decades of imbalance.
Trump has also blasted leaders in Spain for backing away from that commitment, according to his remarks, even though he has not this year revived his first-term call to pull the United States out of the alliance.
During the NATO Summit in June, Trump told reporters he remained "committed to being their friends" and said, "I've become friends with many of those leaders, and I'm committed to helping them," while still demanding a fairer share of costs.
Massie's bill drew immediate support from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., who said she would co-sponsor it.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced companion legislation in the Senate, forming a small but vocal bloc within the GOP questioning whether Washington should continue carrying NATO's load.
Massie said "America should not be the world's security blanket — especially when wealthy countries refuse to pay for their own defense," a message that resonates strongly with conservatives who argue U.S. taxpayers shoulder too much of Europe's security obligations.
His stance contrasts with the push from many Republican lawmakers who want deeper U.S. engagement with NATO.
In November, Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado and Joni Ernst of Iowa introduced legislation urging the Pentagon to develop an integrated air defense system with NATO allies against Russian threats, according to their announcement.
Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has also introduced legislation prioritizing expanded security cooperation with NATO's eastern flank, as stated by his office.
The NATO Act, as described in Massie's summary, would withdraw the United States from the alliance and bar the use of U.S. taxpayer money for NATO's civil budget, military budget, and Security Investment Program.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment on Massie's bill, according to reporting from The Hill.
Massie, who has recently clashed with Trump on unrelated issues, now finds part of his argument bolstered by Trump's own demands that NATO nations shoulder more of the burden.
The legislation comes as several NATO members privately express unease about Trump's hard-line negotiation tactics over burden-sharing while acknowledging that his pressure has forced the alliance to confront long-ignored spending gaps.
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