Foreign Policy and Defense

US role in NATO

31 public statements from 2026 candidates

§1The range of views

Why this matters: It decides whether the US is pledged to defend European allies, how many US troops are based in Europe and how much allies spend on defense.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

The US commitment to NATO, the alliance of the US, Canada and 30 European countries that treat an attack on one as an attack on all.1,2

  1. Keep the full US commitment to defend all NATO allies, and keep US forces in Europe
  2. Stay in NATO, but tie US support to allies meeting their defense spending pledges
  3. Stay in NATO, but bring many US troops home and have European allies lead their own defense
  4. Leave NATO

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Keep the full US commitment to defend all NATO allies, and keep US forces in Europe (1)

  • Scott Wiener CA-11
    His campaign website says he would reaffirm the U.S. commitment to collective defense agreements, including NATO.3

Stay in NATO, but bring many US troops home and have European allies lead their own defense (1)

  • Chris Dardzinski MI-13
    His campaign website says NATO has strategic value and that other members need to do more of the heavy lifting, and it calls for removing U.S. troops from Europe, turning the bases over to host countries and having Europe support a European military force as part of a new NATO plan.4

Leave NATO (5)

  • Michael Dublin NC Senate
    His platform supports abolishing NATO and other alliances it calls imperialist.5
  • Steven Feldman NC-10
    His campaign website says the United States should offer to withdraw from NATO as part of a peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine, saying Europe does not need American protection.6
  • Greg Levy OH Senate special
    His campaign website calls for dissolving NATO.7
  • Michael Anthony Bahry RI Senate
    His campaign website says it is time for the United States to withdraw from NATO and that Europe should find a way to make peace with Russia.8
  • Ted Brown TX Senate
    His campaign website says the United States should withdraw from NATO and other alliances and bring all troops home from foreign assignments.9

Statements that don't match one option (24)

  • Robert B. Aderholt AL-4
    His campaign website says NATO should be strengthened by requiring every member to spend at least 2% of its economic output on defense, and says he supports more U.S. forces in Eastern European allies such as Poland, Romania and the Baltic states.10
  • Steve G. Parsons AR-1
    His campaign website describes NATO and other U.S. defense treaties as entangling alliances and questions what the U.S. gains from its commitment to defend small member countries.11
  • Michael Masuda CA-5
    His campaign website says he would reinforce NATO and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and support targeted security assistance to deter conflict.12
  • Gil Cisneros CA-31
    His campaign website says the U.S. must reaffirm its commitment to NATO.13
  • Marni von Wilpert CA-48
    Her campaign website says she supports America's role in NATO and would work to rebuild America's alliances.14
  • Tim Bennett CO-7
    His campaign website says keeping alliances like NATO is important and that partners should be asked to share the burden of defense fairly.15
  • Joseph "Dr. Joe" Arminio DE-AL
    His campaign website says NATO should agree to stop expanding east of Poland.16
  • Mark Davis FL-16
    His policy platform says NATO matters to the security of the United States and the world, and that its allies share responsibility for their common defense.17
  • Eliott Rodriguez FL-27
    His campaign website says he wants to repair relationships with NATO and other democratic allies while requiring partners to share responsibility.18
  • Tony Kozycki GA-7
    His campaign website says allies should carry their weight, but that America is stronger when it stands with its allies and keeps its word, and that leadership does not mean threatening to walk away from NATO.19
  • Whitfield Harrington Jr IL Senate
    His campaign website says the US should step back without stepping away so that allies step up, that European allies have relied on the US instead of investing in their own security and should take the stronger voice on Russia and Ukraine, and that US commitments abroad should be drawn down carefully.20
  • André Carson IN-7
    His campaign website says the country should strengthen alliances like NATO, keep NATO unified and strengthen European alliances.21
  • Zach Dembo KY-6
    His campaign website says the U.S. should be defending its allies and strengthening NATO rather than weakening alliances.22
  • Jake Auchincloss MA-4
    His campaign website says he supports U.S. allies in Congress, naming NATO.23
  • Adrian Boafo MD-5
    His campaign website says he would stand with democratic allies by strengthening NATO.24
  • April McClain Delaney MD-6
    Her campaign website says she believes in U.S. leadership of important alliances such as NATO.25
  • Mike Saliba MI-10
    His campaign website says the country should start bringing home its troops stationed abroad, including in Korea, Japan, Europe and the entire Middle East.26
  • Peggy Flanagan MN Senate
    Her campaign website says she supports rebuilding ties with NATO allies.27
  • DeVelle L. Jackson MN-5
    It says he believes in honoring commitments to NATO allies and maintaining strong national defenses, and that no ally should receive a blank check.28
  • Fred Wellman MO-2
    His campaign website says he supports a strong, united NATO able to deter further Russian aggression.29
  • Alani Bankhead MT Senate
    Her campaign website says she would rebuild NATO and other U.S. alliances.30
  • Mark Cohen NE-3
    His campaign website lists working to repair the damage it says the current administration has done to NATO among his defense commitments.31
  • Zack Mullock NJ-2
    The Foreign Policy section says the US should meet its full financial commitments to NATO and to the United Nations.32
  • James Talarico TX Senate
    His campaign website says he would deepen U.S. cooperation with NATO, the European Union and other allies.33