A bipartisan pair of senior senators moved Wednesday to steady U.S. support for NATO, pushing back as President Donald Trump ramps up threats to withdraw from the alliance amid tensions with European partners.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued a joint statement underscoring NATO’s long track record and warning against weakening it. Their message was direct: the Senate stands behind the alliance, and the United States is safer because of it.
A Bipartisan Line in the Sand
McConnell and Coons pointed to NATO’s founding in 1949 and its role in maintaining security for more than seven decades. They framed the alliance not as a burden, but as a force multiplier for U.S. interests.
“NATO is the most successful military alliance in history,” they said. “It has underpinned the security of the United States for more than 70 years.”
They also highlighted a point often lost in political debates: NATO’s only invocation of its collective defense clause came after the Sept. 11 attacks. Allied troops fought alongside Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq, with real costs.
That history, the senators argued, should not be brushed aside in the middle of a policy dispute.
Trump Escalates Pressure on Allies
The statement comes as Trump sharpens his criticism of NATO, saying he is “strongly considering” withdrawing the United States from the alliance.
Trump’s frustration is rooted in the ongoing conflict with Iran, where several European allies have declined to support U.S.-Israeli military operations. Countries including Spain and Italy have denied access to military bases and restricted overflight rights, while others have distanced themselves from the campaign.
The resistance has fueled Trump’s long-standing criticism that NATO partners are not contributing sufficiently to shared security efforts.
This latest clash has pushed the disagreement beyond rhetoric. It now raises the possibility of a fundamental shift in U.S. foreign policy.
Congress Signals Its Role
McConnell and Coons made clear that leaving NATO is not a decision a president can make alone.
A law passed in late 2023 requires congressional approval for withdrawal, setting a high bar. Any exit would need 67 votes in the Senate.
That requirement reflects growing concern on Capitol Hill, in both parties, about preserving long-standing alliances. Lawmakers have increasingly stepped in when they believe executive actions risk undermining those relationships.
McConnell has been especially blunt in the past, warning that damaging NATO could “incinerate the hard-won trust of allies.”
Allies Watch Closely
The uncertainty is already rippling overseas. European governments are reassessing their security strategies as questions about U.S. commitment grow louder.
McConnell and Coons, while acknowledging that disputes within NATO are nothing new, urged a measured approach.
“Americans are safer when NATO is strong and united,” they said. “It is in our interest for all allies to tend this unity with care.”
A Test of Direction
The clash between the White House and Congress reflects a deeper divide over how the U.S. should engage with the world. Trump is pressing a more transactional approach, while many lawmakers continue to see alliances as a core strategic asset.
Bipartisan support for NATO remains intact, for now. Whether that holds in the face of continued pressure from the administration is the next test.
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Both anti – Trump even though they’re from different parties. It just goes to show they could care less about our money being used. NATO has left the US high and dry in Iran, and that’s only to use a country’s airspace or bases. If there was something serious going on Lord, help them and us. I think Trump needs to and will make NATO sweat. It would not bother me one bit if we left NATO. Most of the countries in NATO are moochers, aren’t they?
Been saying for decades now, McConnell needs to GO! Top republican my ASS! He is creepy and married to a chinese rich woman. What loyalty does he have? Vote this man out if he does not go this next term to the state that owns this old weirdo!
McConnell is not loyal to our country. His wife is a rich chinese woman from CHINA. So his view of his power has always been anti Trump and his actions tell everyone he is full of crap. So if he does not go just vote this idiot out. He is the best reason for term limits and age limits in congress.