Eighty House Republicans back $482 million NATO cut to boost US bases
eighty House Republicans voted against a measure that would cut nearly $482 million from NATO’s Security Investment Program and redirect the funds to U.S. military construction. Offered by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) as an amendment to a war appropriations bill, it was rejected by the full House in a 333-80 vote. Steube argued that the U.S. pays while some NATO members don’t fully support America when it counts. Though, the defeat also reflected a GOP split, with 127 Republicans joining Democrats and an independant who caucuses with Republicans to oppose the amendment.Supporters like Rep. Tim Burchett said some NATO allies benefit from U.S.protection without adequately backing U.S. interests. The vote took place amid heightened criticism of NATO by President Donald Trump,including complaints that NATO countries have refused assistance related to the Iran war and have denied access to bases in the Middle East for potential strikes. Secretary of State Marco rubio likewise questioned the purpose of NATO, citing allies’ reluctance to help with reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil Europe depends on.
Eighty House Republicans voted on Friday for a measure to cut nearly 482 million from the military budget for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and put the money into American military bases.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) offered the measure as an amendment to a war department appropriations bill. If passed, it would have shifted “$481,832,000 from the NATO Security Investment Program” to military construction projects at U.S. bases.
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The NATO Security Investment Program is a pool of money that all 32 countries in the alliance contribute to, funding digital and infrastructure projects. The United States and Germany are the biggest contributors to the program.
“The U.S. keeps footing the bill for NATO while some of these countries refuse to fully back America when it actually matters,” Stuebe wrote in a post on X. “Taxpayers should not be subsidizing ‘allies’ who expect our protection but won’t show up for us.”
Steube’s amendment to include in the military appropriations bill was rejected by a 333-to-80 vote of the entire House.
The resounding opposition figure, however, obscures the GOP split on the issue. Overall, 127 Republicans joined with 205 Democrats and Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA), an independent who caucuses with the GOP, to defeat the measure.
“We sit here and defend them all, and then we get into a bind, and they just run for cover,” said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), who voted for the measure. “Yet, we’ve got all our military out there, all in their countries, protecting them. I’m kind of sick of it. We need to start looking after the good old US of A.”
The amendment came amid sharp criticism of NATO countries by President Donald Trump for refusing to help with the Iran war. The commander in chief, in particular, has griped that NATO countries have refused America the use of bases in the Middle East from which to launch strikes on Iran.
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Trump has also lambasted members of the alliance for shrugging off requests to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, despite much of the oil that Europe relies on navigating through the waterway.
“When you have NATO partners denying you the use of those bases,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News this week. “Then what’s the purpose of the alliance? It starts becoming a ‘they’re allies when they want to be’ kind of thing.”
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