Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has made a surprise statement, calling on the United States to leave NATO and stop funding Europe's defense, Bloomberg reports, citing Musk's words in a recent interview. His position echoes those of US President Donald Trump, who previously stressed that Washington does not intend to protect its allies if they do not fulfill their financial obligations to NATO. These statements have caused a wide resonance, intensifying the debate about the future of American participation in the North Atlantic bloc.

Musk, known for his outspoken comments on global politics, argued that the United States bears a disproportionate burden of ensuring Europe’s security, while European countries, in his opinion, do not invest enough in their own defense. Trump, for his part, has repeatedly raised this issue, recalling that many NATO members do not reach the target of 2% of GDP for military spending. “If they don’t pay their bills, we will not protect them,” the president said, repeating the thesis that has become the leitmotif of his foreign policy since returning to the White House in January 2025. However, despite the loud statements, the 2023 law limits the head of state’s options: leaving NATO requires the approval of two-thirds of the Senate or the full Congress.

The statements by Musk and Trump come at a time of tension within the alliance. As Reuters reports, in March 2025, the US already announced it would suspend participation in planning future NATO exercises in Europe, retaining commitments only for the 2025 maneuvers. This move, according to Politico, is linked to Trump’s intention to refocus resources on confronting China in the Asia-Pacific region. Musk supported this shift in priorities, saying that “America should focus on its own interests, not on subsidizing European armies.” His words drew criticism from European leaders: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the idea of ​​the US leaving NATO “a dangerous signal for global stability.”

The financial aspect remains key to the debate. According to NATO data for 2024, the United States spends about 3,5% of its GDP on the alliance’s defense, more than 70% of the bloc’s total spending, while only 11 of the bloc’s 32 member states have reached the 2% threshold. France, whose army of more than 200 remains Europe’s largest, is calling for an autonomous European defense, President Emmanuel Macron announced at the EU summit on March 6. Meanwhile, Germany is accelerating its rearmament, planning to increase the size of the Bundeswehr to 250 by 2030, which could make it the continent’s leading military force.

The reaction of the US Congress to Musk’s calls is unclear. The 2023 law passed after Trump’s first term was intended to prevent a unilateral withdrawal from NATO, reflecting concerns among lawmakers about the possible weakening of the alliance. As The Washington Post notes, Senate Republicans are divided: some support Trump, considering NATO an outdated structure, while others, including Senator Mitt Romney, insist on maintaining the commitment to contain Russia. Democrats have sharply condemned Musk, accusing him of undermining international security for Tesla’s personal gain in the Chinese market.