Overview

• On Monday, Gaetz said on The Matt Gaetz Show that President Trump should offer NATO membership to Russia as leverage in negotiations with Vladimir Putin.
• He outlined conditions including ending hostilities, pursuing economic cooperation, and resolving territorial disputes before any offer would be considered.
• He invoked earlier debates on NATO–Russia relations, arguing the U.S. chose expansion and “encirclement” over cooperation, and cited a 1997 Senate hearing, Madeleine Albright, and Michael McFaul’s 2006 essay.
• He emphasized that any path to membership would be distant and contingent, saying it "isn't coming tomorrow" and would depend on all parties "behaving."
• The remarks aired as commentary on OAN and were reported by Mediaite, and no change in U.S. or NATO policy was announced.