NKY's Thomas Massie one of only four House members to vote against pro-NATO resolution

Carl Weiser | Cincinnati Enquirer

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Northern Kentucky's Rep. Thomas Massie was one of only four members Tuesday to vote against a resolution reaffirming the U.S. commitment to NATO's mutual defense pact.

"The move to expand NATO in Eastern Europe is unwise and unaffordable," Massie explained in a statement emailed to The Enquirer on Wednesday morning. "Yesterday's resolution was in direct conflict with President Trump's campaign assertion that NATO is obsolete."

More: Kentucky's Thomas Massie battles Donald Trump tweet for tweet

The libertarian-leaning Republican from Garrison frequently bucks his party's leadership on issues - most recently on the House's bill to replace Obamacare.

Tuesday lawmakers passed the pro-NATO measure 423-4, roughly a month after President Donald Trump failed to explicitly state his support for Article 5 during a visit to NATO headquarters. Article 5 is the alliance's "one for all, all for one" agreement.

Trump did eventually back the collective defense accord.

House Speaker Paul Ryan sponsored the resolution, which was also backed by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

The resolution also voices strong support for a decision made at a NATO summit in 2014 calling for each member to spend at least 2 percent of its nation's gross domestic product on defense by 2024.

Trump lectured NATO members about increasing their defense spending.

The rest of the Greater Cincinnati delegation supported the resolution.

"The United States has, and will always have, the backs of our allies," Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood, said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed