House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in consultation with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other congressional leaders, will extend an invitation to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to speak next month before a joint session of Congress, Politico first reported and Pelosi's office later confirmed.
Why it matters: The rare bipartisan invitation is designed to highlight the U.S.' commitment to NATO on its 70th anniversary, even in the face of President Trump's public criticisms and private discussions about withdrawing the U.S. from the military alliance. Both chambers of Congress have introduced bipartisan bills seeking to prevent Trump from withdrawing from NATO without their approval.
