Former President Donald Trump may face significant obstacles in withdrawing the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) due to legislation championed by Senator Marco Rubio.

Congressional Approval Now Required for NATO Withdrawal

Senator Rubio co-authored a bill with Democratic Senator Tim Kaine in 2023 that requires Congressional approval before any president can withdraw the U.S. from NATO. This provision was included in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act and signed into law by President Joe Biden.

Rubio's Previous Support for NATO

In a previous interview on CBS News, Rubio emphasized the strategic importance of NATO, stating, “It’s one of our strategic strengths that we have in the world.” He also highlighted that adversaries like Russia, China, and Iran do not benefit from a similar level of security.

Rubio further explained his rationale, saying, “I believe Congress needs to play a role in deciding whether we’re going to remove ourselves from that.”

Shifting Stance and Trump's Concerns

However, Rubio recently adopted a different tone during a Tuesday interview on Fox News. He suggested the U.S. may need to reassess its relationship with NATO, questioning whether the alliance “is still serving that purpose.”

Rubio echoed concerns similar to those expressed by Trump, asking if NATO has “now become a one-way street where America is simply in a position to defend Europe, but when we need the help of our allies, they’re going to deny us basing rights, and they’re going to deny us overflight.”

Dispute Over Iran War Support

Much of Trump’s frustration with NATO centers on the lack of cooperation from member nations regarding a potential war in Iran. He has specifically criticized France for restricting Israeli planes from using its airspace to transport weapons and Spain for potentially denying U.S. aircraft basing and overflight rights.

At least 13 U.S. service members and nearly 2,000 Iranians have been killed as a result of the ongoing conflict. Trump is scheduled to deliver a prime-time address on Wednesday night, expected to be critical of NATO’s role.