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/2026/04/02/69ce960b3c935794299979.jpg "TRUE OR FALSE. War in the Middle East: Can Donald Trump unilaterally withdraw the United States from NATO?")
The American president must also obtain the approval of two-thirds of the senators. However, according to experts, he could unofficially decide to withdraw the United States from the Atlantic Alliance.
The threat is not new. On Wednesday, April 1st, Donald Trump reaffirmed his intention to withdraw the United States from NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in an interview with the Telegraph. This decision, “inevitable” according to the American president, is mainly motivated by the refusal of NATO members to join his war against Iran.
“I have never been impressed by NATO. I always knew it was just a paper tiger, and Putin knows it too,” criticized Donald Trump to the British newspaper. The Republican had previously expressed his desire to leave this politico-military alliance, made up of 32 countries including France and established in 1949, during his first term. But does the American president have the power to make such a decision? Franceinfo fact-checked.
As President of the United States, Donald Trump cannot unilaterally withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty, as a law passed by Congress in 2023 prevents him from doing so. This law requires such a measure to be approved by two-thirds of the 100 senators, or the adoption of a separate law in Congress. Before taking such a step, the American president must also consult the Senate and House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committees. He must also inform them in writing of any deliberation or decision to withdraw, at least six months before taking action.
This law was passed under the Biden administration to protect NATO membership, anticipating the return of Donald Trump to power. Ironically, at the time, the text was supported by Marco Rubio, the current U.S. Secretary of State. During an interview on the conservative Fox News channel on Tuesday, this now opponent of the Atlantic Alliance stated that the United States were likely to “reassess” their role within NATO once the Iranian conflict is resolved. The Alliance “simply consists of having troops in Europe to defend Europe. But when we need our allies to allow us to use their military bases, their answer is no. So why are we in NATO?” he argued.
Given the current configuration of the Senate, there is little chance that American lawmakers would approve a NATO withdrawal by two-thirds. The Senate is composed of 45 Democrats, two Independents, and 53 Republicans, with “a majority likely opposed” to an exit from the Alliance, according to Romuald Sciora, researcher at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (Iris) and director of the Political and Geostrategic Observatory of the United States.
Even in the event of unanimous support from Republican senators, at least 14 Democrats would need to vote in favor of the project to reach the required approval rate. A scenario that is unlikely, given the reaction of the Democratic Senate leader to Donald Trump’s statements. “I can promise this: the Senate will not vote to leave NATO and abandon our allies simply because Trump is upset that they did not follow his reckless war,” declared Chuck Schumer on X.
However, some fear that Donald Trump may disregard this law. A report from the Congressional Research Service on “separation of powers and NATO withdrawal” was published on February 27, the day before the U.S. and Israel triggered the conflict in Iran. This report recalls that the 2023 law contradicts a 2020 opinion from the U.S. Department of Justice, under the first Trump administration, during its withdrawal from the “Open Skies” treaty. According to this interpretation, the U.S. President has exclusive power over the withdrawal from treaties. Thus, Congress would not have the right to interfere in this type of decision.
If the Supreme Court were to take up the matter, the outcome of this legal battle would not be certain. In the absence of direct judicial precedent, this constitutional question remains unclear, concludes the Congressional Research Service report. In case of a victory for Donald Trump, Article 13 of the North Atlantic Treaty specifies that the departure from the Alliance would be effective after one year.
While the official withdrawal of the United States from NATO seems difficult to conceive and implement, “Donald Trump actually does not need it to leave the Alliance unofficially,” reminds Alix Frangeul-Alves, specialist in U.S. domestic and foreign policy and program coordinator at the German Marshall Fund. In reality, the American President could unofficially withdraw by closing American military bases in Europe, compromising support for Ukraine, or by refusing to share intelligence with allies, without consulting Congress.
Furthermore, Donald Trump, through his speeches, could undermine NATO’s American security guarantees. “As leader of American forces, Donald Trump could declare that an attack on a NATO country will not trigger a military response from the United States,” as there is no obligation, states Martin Quencez, specialist in U.S. foreign policy and director of the think tank The German Marshall Fund of the United States. Article 5 of the treaty stipulates that an armed attack against a member of the Alliance obliges signatories to assist their ally, “by taking(…) such action as it deems necessary.” However, the treaty does not require a military response, reports the U.S. foreign policy specialist. The United States could thus remain in NATO while no longer acting for the defense of their allies.
According to Alix Frangeul-Alves, Donald Trump does not actually intend to leave this Alliance, which is a “lever of pressure to force Europeans to align with his policies, notably his military operation in the Middle East.” Romuald Sciora also points out that NATO “brings in a lot of money to the United States, through the purchase of arms.”
