Rep. Thomas Massie Files Bill To Withdraw U.S. From NATO, Calls Alliance A 'Cold War Relic'

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced he has filed House Resolution 6508 (HR 6508), a bill seeking to withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Massie described NATO as a "Cold War relic," arguing that continued U.S. participation is costly to American taxpayers and risks entangling the country in foreign conflicts.

Massie posted on X that:

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.

"NATO is a Cold War relic. The United States should withdraw from NATO and use that money to defend our country, not socialist countries. Today, I introduced HR 6508 to end our NATO membership."

Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna shared Massie's post and announced she will co-sponsor the measure. In the Senate, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee earlier introduced companion legislation called the "Not a Trusted Organization Act" (also referred to as the "NATO Act"). Massie’s bill serves as a House companion to those efforts.

What The Bill Would Do

The proposed House measure would invoke Article 13 of the North Atlantic Treaty—signed in Washington on April 4, 1949—which allows any party to withdraw after the treaty has been in force for at least 20 years by providing one year’s notice of denunciation. The draft language in HR 6508 directs that, "not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall give notice of denunciation of the North Atlantic Treaty for purposes of withdrawing the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization."

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah., arrives for a vote in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

HR 6508 also includes a funding prohibition: it would bar any funds from being used to support NATO’s common-funded budgets, including the civil budget, the military budget, and the Security Investment Program.

Arguments And Context

Supporters of withdrawal argue the alliance was created to deter the Soviet Union, which collapsed more than three decades ago, and that continued U.S. commitments have imposed heavy costs while exposing the United States to foreign wars. Massie and like-minded Republicans say the resources could be redirected to domestic defense priorities and contend the Constitution does not authorize permanent foreign entanglements.

The NATO emblem is seen while the NATO Summit is held in the city, in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 12, 2023.

Opponents are likely to warn that an American exit from NATO would have major geopolitical consequences, weaken collective defense in Europe, and damage U.S. credibility with allies. Policymakers and analysts will watch whether HR 6508 attracts broader GOP support and how the White House and Senate respond.

Bottom Line

HR 6508 marks a clear push by a faction of Republicans to reconsider longstanding U.S. security commitments overseas. The bill’s invocation of Article 13 and its funding ban are designed to effect a swift withdrawal if the legislation were to pass both chambers and be enacted into law, setting up a contentious political and diplomatic debate.