By our man in Paris
PARIS — A high-ranking French official has sensationally called for France to pull out of NATO, claiming the alliance has become a “dangerous liability” under the shadow of Donald Trump’s foreign policy.
Clémence Guetté, a Vice President of the National Assembly and a prominent figure in the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party, formally submitted a resolution this week demanding France’s immediate withdrawal from the integrated military command and the North Atlantic Treaty itself.
The move marks the most serious legislative challenge to France’s membership in the Western alliance in decades.
Guetté’s resolution is framed as a direct response to the “unpredictability and aggression” of Donald Trump’s international agenda.
With the former U.S. President frequently questioning the value of NATO and suggesting he might not defend “delinquent” members, Guetté argues that France can no longer tether its security to Washington.
”We refuse to be dragged into conflicts that are not ours,” a source close to the LFI leadership stated.
“France must regain its sovereignty. We cannot be the foot soldiers for a White House that treats allies like vassals.”
The resolution calls for:
An immediate withdrawal from NATO’s integrated military command.
A formal timeline to exit the North Atlantic Treaty.
A pivot toward a “non-aligned” French foreign policy.
The proposal has sent shockwaves through the Palais Bourbon. While the French left has a long-standing tradition of skepticism toward NATO—dating back to Charles de Gaulle’s partial withdrawal in 1966—this latest push is seen as a radical escalation.
Centrist and right-wing MPs have slammed the move as “reckless,” arguing it plays directly into the hands of Vladimir Putin.
“To leave NATO now, when Europe faces its greatest threat since WWII, is not sovereignty—it is suicide,” said one government deputy.
France’s relationship with NATO has always been “it’s complicated.”
The De Gaulle Exit (1966): General Charles de Gaulle famously pulled France out of NATO’s military structure to maintain nuclear independence, though France remained a political member.
The Sarkozy Return (2009): Former President Nicolas Sarkozy fully reintegrated France into the military command, arguing France needed a “seat at the table” to lead European defense.
The “Brain Dead” Comment (2019): President Emmanuel Macron himself caused a stir years ago by calling NATO “brain dead,” citing a lack of strategic coordination and the erratic behavior of the U.S. administration.
Guetté’s LFI party, led by firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has long advocated for “Altermondialisme” (alter-globalization) and a break from the U.S.-led world order.
By linking the withdrawal specifically to Trump’s policies, they are banking on the widespread “Trump-anxiety” currently gripping European capitals.
