The National Defense Authorization Act that passed in Congress this week includes a provision that preemptively ties the hands of former President Donald Trump should he ever return to the White House.

The bipartisan effort bars a future president from pulling the U.S. out of NATO and the provision was embedded in the NDAA, written by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine.

So this made it into the conference NDAA pic.twitter.com/RqjK5V6kQo

— Curt Mills (@CurtMills) December 11, 2023

“Rubio and Kaine’s provision requires the president to seek the advice and consent of the Senate before suspending, terminating or withdrawing the U.S. from NATO – a key military alliance that’s supposed to deter Russian aggression,” the Daily Mail reported. “If a president attempts to leave NATO without Senate approval, or another act of Congress, the provision prohibits any funding going toward such a move.”

Congressional Legal Counsel is also empowered to sue the White House over any such action.

They just included a stipulation in the NDAA that whoever is president cannot withdraw from NATO without the approval of Congress.

The only reason they are sticking that and the carte Blanche approval to continue to abuse FISA in the NDAA is because they can’t pass those as…

— Insurrection Barbie (@DefiyantlyFree) December 12, 2023

Trump has been openly critical of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the part the U.S. plays in the military alliance, saying on several occasions that other members do not pay their fair share for defense.

“The good old USA ‘suckers’ are paying a VAST majority of the NATO bill, & outside money, going to Ukraine. VERY UNFAIR!” Trump posted on Truth Social in January.

The leftist Rolling Stone magazine declared that ” the former president wants to put the U.S. on ‘standby’ mode — and undermine NATO’s principle of collective defense” in an article published in October.

“Donald Trump wanted to pull the United States out of NATO during his first term, but was repeatedly talked out of it by senior administration officials. For a possible second term in the White House, the 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner is already discussing how he could actually get it done, if his demands aren’t met by NATO. He and his policy-wonk allies are also gaming out how he could dramatically wind down American involvement to merely a “standby” position in NATO, in Trump’s own words,” Rolling Stone noted.

In a statement on Thursday, Kaine said “NATO has held strong in response to Putin’s war in Ukraine and rising challenges around the world.”

“The Senate’s vote today to pass my bipartisan bill to prevent any U.S. President from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO reaffirms U.S. support for this crucial alliance that is foundational for our national security,” he added. “It also sends a strong message to authoritarians around the world that the free world remains united.”

Last night the Senate passed my bipartisan bill to prevent any U.S. President from withdrawing from NATO unilaterally.

America is stronger amongst our allies—this strong bipartisan vote is a testament to that.

— Tim Kaine (@timkaine) December 14, 2023

Rubio noted that the “Senate should maintain oversight on whether or not our nation withdraws from NATO.”

“We must ensure we are protecting our national interests and protecting the security of our democratic allies,” he added.

No U.S. President should be able to withdraw from NATO without Senate approval.

Thankful my colleagues in Congress passed this bipartisan measure. https://t.co/WGVRviYcA8

— Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) December 14, 2023