American President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to pull the United States out of NATO after European nations refused to join a U.S.-led naval mission to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.
It remains unclear whether Trump could act unilaterally to withdraw from the 77-year-old transatlantic alliance. However, he has frequently taken major decisions without congressional approval, some of which have been upheld by U.S. courts.
Under the U.S. Constitution, the President has the power to make treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate, provided two-thirds of the 100-member chamber agree.
However, the Constitution does not specify who holds the authority to withdraw from a treaty or how such agreements should be terminated.
Yes. In most cases, Presidents have decided to withdraw from treaties independently. In 1979, U.S. President Jimmy Carter terminated a defence treaty with Taiwan that was intended to protect the island from invasion by China.
Members of Congress challenged the decision in court, arguing that Senate approval was required. The Supreme Court ruled that the issue was political in nature and dismissed the case.
In 2002, President George W. Bush withdrew the U.S. from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia without seeking congressional approval.
Donald Trump himself has withdrawn the U.S. from several international agreements, including the Paris Climate Agreement, which was later rejoined by President Joe Biden.
NATO, which includes most European countries, the United States and Canada, was established in 1949 to counter the threat of the Soviet Union and has since remained central to Western security.
Article 13 of the NATO treaty states that any member may withdraw by giving one year’s notice to the U.S. government, which then notifies the other member states of the “notice of denunciation”.
If the U.S. were to withdraw, the State Department would issue and record its own notice before informing other nations.
No NATO member has ever withdrawn from the alliance.
While Presidents have previously withdrawn from treaties independently, legislation passed in 2023 may complicate any attempt to leave NATO.
The measure was introduced as an amendment to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an annual bill that sets Pentagon policy. It was sponsored by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and Republican Senator Marco Rubio.
Rubio, now serving as both Trump’s Secretary of State and National Security Adviser, said on Tuesday (31 March) that Washington would need to reassess its relationship with NATO following the Iran war, which began on 28 February with U.S. and Israeli air strikes.
The NDAA amendment also said that no U.S. funds could be spent on a withdrawal from NATO.
Trump has long been critical of NATO. During his first presidential campaign, he described the alliance as “obsolete” and said it was “costing a fortune for the U.S.”.
However, he moderated his stance after entering the White House in 2017, later stating alongside then NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that the alliance was “no longer obsolete”.
Since the outbreak of the Iran war, Trump has renewed his criticism of European allies over their refusal to participate. “Why would we be there for them if they’re not there for us?” he said at a Miami Beach investment conference in late March.
On Wednesday (1 April), Trump escalated his rhetoric, telling Reuters he was “absolutely” considering withdrawing from NATO, citing his “disgust with NATO”.
His comments came hours after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to NATO’s collective defence principle.
Experts say the real concern lies not in legal barriers, but in political will.
"If the President and the military are not committed to NATO and European security, then I don't think there's much Congress can actually do to hold that back," said Max Bergmann, a former State Department official now serving as director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Pope Leo XIV has been invited to visit Azerbaijan by President Aliyev during talks with a senior Vatican official in Baku. The invitation was extended...
U.S. President Donald Trump said a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has been signed by the U.S. and Iran, though details have yet to b...
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned against actions in the Black Sea that could threaten regional stability, saying he raised the iss...
A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island early Tuesday, killing at least one person and injuring four, according to emerge...
Lithuania’s ruling Social Democratic Party has said its chairman, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, is preparing to become the country’s next prime minister,...
Pope Leo XIV has been invited to visit Azerbaijan by President Aliyev during talks with a senior Vatican official in Baku. The invitation was extended during a meeting on Tuesday between President Aliyev and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, who is responsible for interfaith affairs at the Vatican.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned against actions in the Black Sea that could threaten regional stability, saying he raised the issue directly with Russia during talks in Moscow.
Lithuania’s ruling Social Democratic Party has said its chairman, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, is preparing to become the country’s next prime minister, replacing Inga Ruginiene.
An exiled Russian artist has been shot dead in Poland days after he carried out a one-man protest against Vladimir Putin, featuring a caricature of the Russian President as a baby held by the Soviet-era dictator Joseph Stalin.
Details of a reported draft memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran offer the clearest picture yet of how both sides plan to end months of conflict and move towards a longer-term settlement.
The U.S. and Iran say they have reached a deal to end their conflict, with an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade. Talks will continue over the next 60 days to finalise the agreement
A senior U.S. official said on Monday that the memorandum of understanding linked to the U.S.-Iran agreement had been signed by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told U.S. President Donald Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by a Lebanon-related provision in an emerging agreement with Iran, according to Israeli officials.
A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island early Tuesday, killing at least one person and injuring four, according to emergency authorities.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned against actions in the Black Sea that could threaten regional stability, saying he raised the issue directly with Russia during talks in Moscow.
Lithuania’s ruling Social Democratic Party has said its chairman, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, is preparing to become the country’s next prime minister, replacing Inga Ruginiene.
The United Kingdom has imposed a new wave of sanctions on Russia, targeting key financial institutions, logistics networks and vessels accused of helping Moscow sustain its war in Ukraine.
Ukraine has said it struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Moscow region, marking one of the deepest reported attacks into Russian territory in recent months.
A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island early Tuesday, killing at least one person and injuring four, according to emergency authorities.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment