An opinion piece published by Fox News argues that, despite years of sharp rhetoric about burden-sharing and doubts over the transatlantic relationship, American public support for NATO remains robust. Drawing on the latest Reagan Institute Summer Survey, conducted ahead of the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, the author contends that predictions of NATO's decline in American politics are overstated, and that the alliance retains backing even among constituencies often assumed to be sceptical of overseas engagement. The message to European allies is twofold: the commitment endures, but Europe is expected to shoulder a fairer share of the defence burden and turn pledges into tangible capability.

According to the poll, 73 per cent of Americans believe keeping the United States in NATO matters to national security and prosperity, including majorities of both Democrats and Republicans and 61 per cent of self-identified MAGA Republicans. Some 72 per cent say they would support responding with military force if a NATO ally were attacked — the core Article 5 commitment — with 69 per cent of MAGA Republicans in agreement. However, the survey also reveals divisions: while 55 per cent of Americans overall oppose withdrawing from the alliance, 63 per cent of MAGA Republicans support withdrawal, pointing to a paradox in which many sceptics still value NATO's practical results while questioning the institution itself.