Elon Musk has urged the United States to withdraw from NATO and the United Nations.
This call comes amid escalating tensions following a heated exchange between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Musk’s statement was in response to a tweet by right-wing political commentator David J. Freeman, who argued that it’s time for the US to leave NATO and the UN. Musk simply replied, “I agree”.
The implications of a US exit from NATO would be significant. Under Article 5 of the NATO treaty, an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
If the US were to exit, it would mean that if Russia or any other entity were to assault another NATO member, Washington would have no obligation to intervene.
This development has raised concerns among NATO members, particularly those sharing borders with Russia, such as Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, and Norway.
These countries would likely be worried about potential Kremlin incursions into NATO’s borders, particularly in the Baltic states, if the US were to leave the alliance.
Donald Trump has long advocated for NATO members to increase their defense spending.
In response to the perceived threat from Russia, Poland has taken the lead in NATO’s defense expenditure, allocating 4.7% of its GDP to defense by 2025.
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have also increased their defense spending, with Estonia surpassing the US in terms of defense expenditure as a percentage of GDP ¹.
Musk’s endorsement of a US exit from NATO and the UN has also been linked to Republican Senator Mike Lee’s DEFUND Act, which aims to sever US ties with the UN, labeling it a “platform for tyrants”.