Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status is a designation created by the U.S. Congress in 1989 through amendments to the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act. It allows the President to formally recognize close defense partners that are not members of NATO, unlocking a bundle of cooperation benefits without the mutual-defense obligations of an Article 5 alliance.
Practical privileges attached to MNNA status include eligibility to:
- Receive loans of U.S. material and equipment for cooperative research, development, testing, and evaluation projects.
- Have War Reserve Stockpiles pre-positioned on the partner's territory (outside U.S. bases).
- Enter into agreements with the U.S. government for the procurement of explosives and munitions on a reciprocal basis.
- Use U.S. financing for the lease or purchase of certain defense articles.
- Bid on certain U.S. Department of Defense contracts for the repair and maintenance of military equipment outside the United States.
Crucially, MNNA designation is not a security guarantee. Unlike NATO's Article 5, the United States makes no commitment to defend an MNNA if it is attacked. The status is essentially a political signal of close partnership plus a procurement and logistics framework.
The first countries designated in 1989 were Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. Subsequent designations have included Jordan, New Zealand, Argentina, Bahrain, the Philippines, Thailand, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Afghanistan (later revoked in 2022 after the Taliban takeover), Tunisia, Brazil, Qatar, and Colombia, among others. Designations are made by the President, who must notify Congress at least 30 days in advance.
Critics note that the list has expanded inconsistently and that MNNA status can become a diplomatic bargaining chip — for example, designations have at times been tied to counterterrorism cooperation or basing access. Supporters argue it provides a flexible tool for deepening security ties with partners where a treaty alliance is politically or geographically impractical.
Example
In 2019, President Trump designated Brazil as a Major Non-NATO Ally following talks with President Jair Bolsonaro, easing Brazilian access to U.S. defense technology.