The United States remained a NATO member under President Donald Trump in September 2026. Trump attended the July 7–8 Ankara summit, where all 32 Allies reaffirmed NATO's Article 5 collective-defense commitment.
The key deadlines concern higher defense spending, not U.S. withdrawal. Allies are working toward a 5% target by 2035, with annual plans and a NATO review scheduled for 2029.
Table of Contents
- What is the United States' NATO status?
- What are the spending targets and deadlines?
- How could the policy affect U.S. and European defense?
- Does Article 5 guarantee an automatic U.S. military response?
- Could Trump withdraw the United States from NATO?
What is the United States' NATO status?
NATO is a political and military alliance whose members agree to assist an Ally facing an armed attack. The July 2026 Ankara Summit Declaration issued by NATO documents continued U.S. membership, Trump's participation and all 32 Allies' reaffirmation of Article 5.
The Ankara declaration also records more than $50 billion in new procurement. European Allies and Canada increased core-defense investment by more than $139 billion in 2025. Those figures show that NATO's spending shift has moved beyond a long-term political promise. They do not mean every Ally already spends 5% of its gross domestic product on defense.
What are the spending targets and deadlines?
Allies committed to work toward annual security-related spending equal to 5% of GDP by 2035. At least 3.5% is intended for core defense, while up to 1.5% can cover infrastructure, networks, resilience, innovation and defense industry needs. The target is phased rather than immediately due.
According to NATO's 2025 Hague Summit materials, the 2035 commitment replaced the idea that Allies must reach 5% at once. Each Ally must submit annual plans showing a credible, incremental path toward the target. NATO will review both the spending trajectory and the balance between qualifying categories in 2029. Readers assessing compliance should ask:.
- Is a spending figure based on core defense alone or the full 5% framework?
- Does the country's annual plan show measurable increases toward 2035?
- Are infrastructure or resilience expenses being described accurately?
- Does a political announcement identify funded procurement or only an intention?
How could the policy affect U.S. and European defense?
The Trump administration says the burden shift will make Europe primarily responsible for conventional defense. It also plans to return U.S. troop levels in Europe to pre-2022 levels while reviewing the broader force posture. For Europe, that approach places greater weight on national forces, procurement and readiness.
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For the United States, it can redirect military resources while preserving NATO membership and treaty commitments. Troop reductions, spending increases and treaty withdrawal are separate decisions. A change in where U.S. forces are stationed does not itself terminate NATO membership or erase Article 5.
Does Article 5 guarantee an automatic U.S. military response?
No. Article 5 requires every Ally to assist a member subjected to an armed attack, but each government chooses the action it considers necessary. As NATO's Article 5 explanation states, assistance may include armed force, but it does not have to.
Each country acts under its own constitutional procedures. Claims that Article 5 automatically sends U.S. troops into combat therefore overstate the treaty. The obligation to assist is firm, while the form of that assistance remains a national decision.
Could Trump withdraw the United States from NATO?
U.S. law bars a president from withdrawing without either approval from two-thirds of senators present or an Act of Congress. It also restricts funding for an unauthorized exit. Under 22 U.S.C. §1928f, the executive branch must consult Congress and provide written notice at least 180 days before taking action.
That notice period is a domestic legal safeguard, not the date membership would end. Even after valid U.S. authorization, Article 13 of the North Atlantic Treaty makes withdrawal effective one year after notice. A unilateral presidential attempt would likely produce major constitutional litigation because the division of treaty-termination power remains untested. A reader evaluating any withdrawal claim should look for congressional authorization, the required written notice and formal treaty notice. A speech, policy statement or troop adjustment is not an instantaneous exit.
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