(CLO) Billionaire Elon Musk, a close advisor to President Donald Trump, has expressed support for the US leaving the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
On Sunday, billionaire Elon Musk expressed support for calls for the US to leave NATO. Republican Senator Mike Lee recently wrote on X that the US should “Leave NATO Now!”, a post that Musk retweeted, adding: “We really should. There is no reason for the US to pay for European defense.”
Billionaire Elon Musk. Photo: X
Mr Trump has often criticised European countries for not contributing more to the alliance's defence budget.
Since taking office, Mr. Trump has stepped up his criticism, particularly of countries that do not meet the alliance’s standard of spending 2% of GDP on defense. He has also proposed raising NATO spending to 5% of each country’s GDP. Under this proposal, even the United States would need to significantly increase spending to meet that goal.
On Thursday, a Fox News reporter asked President Trump in the Oval Office: "Are you considering changing NATO so that if a country is attacked and doesn't pay its dues, the United States won't defend them?"
“I told them that,” Mr. Trump replied. “I said, ‘If you don’t pay, we’re not going to protect.’”
NATO currently has 32 members, including 29 European countries, the United States, Canada and Türkiye. Sweden is the newest member, joining in 2024. The alliance was originally founded by 12 countries in 1949.
Elon Musk has also previously supported posts calling for a withdrawal from NATO. On February 12, he wrote on X that “NATO needs an overhaul.”
Under the US National Defense Authorization Act, the President cannot alter NATO membership, including suspending, terminating or withdrawing from the alliance, "except with the advice and consent of the Senate, provided two-thirds of the Senators present so agree, or by an act of Congress."
Many analysts believe that if the US withdraws from NATO, this could weaken this military alliance. Currently, some European countries have begun to increase defense spending to meet US demands, but there is still much debate about the feasibility of raising spending to 5% of GDP.
Cao Phong (according to X, Newsweek)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ty-phu-elon-musk-khang-dinh-my-thuc-su-nen-roi-khoi-nato-post337800.html
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