NATO is not a charity

To Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin:

NATO is not a charity; it’s a military alliance.

All NATO members must bear a meaningful share of the burdens of collective defense.

We write to you inquiring how the Department of Defense is implementing Section 1250 of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This provision of law requires you to consider whether a NATO partner “has achieved defense spending of not less than 2 percent of its gross domestic product” when weighing decisions related to U.S. military basing, training, and exercises within the alliance.

We are committed to the historic NATO alliance and are encouraged that NATO countries collectively increased defense spending by 11 percent in 2023. However, a total of only 11 out of 32 NATO countries presently meet their defense spending commitments under the 2014 Wales and 2023 Vilnius Summit Declarations.

According to optimistic estimates, 18 NATO nations are expected to meet their defense spending commitments this year. This means that barely half of NATO members will meet the deadline to increase defense spending to a minimum of two percent of gross domestic product – a deadline that was self-imposed and agreed to by unanimous consent.

Many wealthy NATO members have chronically shortchanged their own militaries and relied on other members of the alliance, particularly the United States, to make the investments necessary to achieve collective defense.

The United States cannot be expected to satisfy its financial obligation if other NATO members are unwilling or unable to do the same. Our government must hold these allies accountable and Section 1250 of the FY24 NDAA is an important step in that direction.

NATO is not a charity; it’s a military alliance.

All NATO members must bear a meaningful share of the burdens of collective defense.

We therefore request an update no later than April 25 on how the Department of Defense evaluates U.S. activities as they relate to NATO members’ defense expenditures, in compliance with the requirement in the FY24 NDAA.

We appreciate your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely, Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska

Sen. Tom Cotton