Elon Musk is calling on America to leave the North Atlantic Treaty Organization altogether following President Trump’s public fight with President Zelensky in the Oval Office, which led many of the alliance’s leaders to reaffirm their support for Ukraine. Neither Mr. Trump nor Vice President Vance are attending the European summit of NATO leaders at London this week.
Late Saturday night, Mr. Musk wrote on his social media platform X that America should exit the alliance, which includes 30 European countries, Canada, and the United States.
“I agree,” Mr. Musk wrote in response to an X user who said that it was time for America to leave the mutual defense pact that it helped set up in the wake of World War II. Sunday morning, Mr. Musk was not relenting, reposting a message from Congressman Thomas Massie which called NATO a “Cold War relic that needs to be relegated to a talking kiosk at the Smithsonian.”
Beyond a few fringe lawmakers, there is little appetite for Mr. Musk’s position in Congress, however. In the Senate, just one member, Senator Lee, has called for America to leave NATO. In the last month, he has posted on X at least seven times that Mr. Trump should pull out of the alliance. In the House, there was a vote in 2024 to cut more than $400 million in NATO funding, though that amendment was roundly defeated by a margin of 46 to 354.
An American president cannot unilaterally leave NATO. In 2023, Congress passed a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Senator Kaine and Secretary Rubio, when he was a member of the chamber, that would require the president to get congressional approval before leaving the alliance. To leave NATO, Mr. Trump would need two-thirds of the Senate to vote with him — the same margin required for ratification of treaties, such as the one that allowed America to join NATO in the first place.
A spokesman for the State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr. Musk’s public broadsides against NATO come as some of the alliance’s leaders are meeting at London following Mr. Trump’s yelling match with Mr. Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Prime Minister Starmer, who met with the president at the White House last week, welcomed the Ukrainian leader at his office on Saturday and kicked off Sunday’s summit by describing the moment as a “once in a generation moment for the security of Europe.”
“Getting a good outcome for Ukraine is not just a matter of right and wrong, it’s vital to every nation here and many others too,” Mr. Starmer said. “A group of us will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting and then discuss that with the U.S. and take it forward together.”
Mr. Starmer led the charge of those advocating for Europe to continue pouring resources into Ukraine in the absence of any American pullback. He called on the nation’s of the continent to form a “coalition of the willing” — ironically, the same phrase George W. Bush used to describe the countries who helped America invade Iraq in 2003 — to defend Ukraine and guarantee peace. The U.K. is prepared to back such a coalition with “boots on the ground and planes in the air,” he said.
Canada’s outgoing leader, Prime Minister Trudeau, similarly seemed to take a thinly veiled shot at the White House as he headed to London for the summit.
“I’m in London this morning, working with President Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Starmer, and European leaders to bring about a just and lasting peace in Ukraine — one that guarantees Ukraine’s sovereignty and security,” Mr. Trudeau wrote on X, mentioning the security guarantees that Mr. Zelensky has been seeking, but which Mr. Trump has yet to support.
The head of NATO, Secretary-General Mark Rutte, struck a tone more in line with Mr. Trump, saying that the alliance must seek peace and that the alliance will ensure members are increasing their defense spending, which the president has long demanded.
“Very positive heading into today’s meeting in London,” Mr. Rutte said on X. “Three key points: 1. Support Ukraine today. All in Europe will need to give more. 2. We all want a peace deal, and it has to last. Europe is really stepping up here. 3. To keep NATO strong, Europe will increase defence spending.”
The conciliatory tones, however, were overshadowed by events on the ground in some NATO-member countries that illustrate the opinions currently dividing the alliance.
Officials from Norway backpedaled furiously Sunday following reports that one of their country’s largest marine resupply companies, Haltbakk Bunkers, said it would stop refueling American vessels visiting the Nordic country to protest Mr. Trump’s Ukraine positioning.
In the since-deleted post, the company’s CEO said, decried what he called the “backstabbing tv” “s***show” in the Oval Office. “We encourage all Norwegians and Europeans to follow our example,” he added.
After the reports circulated Saturday, Norway’s Defense Minister, Tore Sandvik, said in a statement on Sunday that the opinions expressed by the company are “not in line with the Norwegian government’s policy.”
“The U.S. and Norway maintain a close and strong defense cooperation,” he added. “American forces will continue to receive the supply and support they require from Norway.”
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Publish date : 2025-03-02 09:22:00
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