Republicans are increasingly questioning whether the United States benefits from membership in NATO, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
Thirty-eight percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents say the U.S. benefits at least somewhat from NATO, down from 49% last year.
At the same time, 60% now say the U.S. benefits not too much or not at all from the alliance, marking the first time a majority of Republicans have expressed that view.
The survey was conducted in late March, shortly before President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering withdrawing the U.S. from NATO.
Overall, 59% of Americans say the U.S. benefits from NATO membership, with support driven largely by Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents.
Among Democrats, 82% say the U.S. benefits from being part of the alliance, a view that has remained stable in recent years.
The report also found divisions within the Republican Party, with younger Republicans more likely than older ones to see NATO as beneficial, 42% compared with 33%.
Views on Trump's ability to work with NATO also vary sharply along party lines.
A majority of Americans, 63%, say they are not confident that Trump can make good decisions when working with the alliance.
But 62% of Republicans say they are at least somewhat confident in Trump's ability, compared with 11% of Democrats.
Within the GOP, older Republicans are more likely to express confidence than younger ones, while conservative Republicans show higher confidence than moderates or liberals.
Among Democrats, confidence in Trump remains low across ideological groups, though slightly higher among moderates and conservatives than liberals.
Public opinion of NATO itself remains generally positive, with 57% of Americans holding a favorable view.
Still, Republicans are far less likely than Democrats to view the alliance positively, 42% to 75%.
Younger Republicans are more likely than older Republicans to view NATO favorably, while older Democrats are more likely than younger Democrats to hold positive views.
“Republicans have become considerably less likely to say the United States benefits from being a member of NATO,” the report states.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to visit Washington on Wednesday for meetings with Trump.
The visit had been scheduled in advance, NATO said, but now comes at a time of renewed debate over whether the United States should remain in the nearly 80-year-old military alliance.
The discussions have intensified following disagreements with European allies over their response to the escalating conflict with Iran.
Trump has grown increasingly frustrated that NATO members declined to join recent U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran and have resisted more aggressive measures, including proposals related to securing or reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has imposed a "surrender or die" deadline on the radical Islamist regime of Iran for early evening on Tuesday.
The Pew survey was conducted March 23 to March 29 among 3,507 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.