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This study examines the factors that influence public opinion on the topic of international security and foreign policy preferences in 13 NATO member countries between 2004-2012. Specifically, I focus on how individual foreign policy preferences (i.e. support for strong U.S leadership) drive public perceptions of NATO as being essential for security. I then explore if there is divergence within NATO in the form of differences in public opinion due the level of military spending within each country. These questions fill an important gap in the literature by tying individual level public opinion to questions of burden sharing and free riding within NATO, with the goal of explaining how citizens’ preferences are influenced by their domestic environment. Empirical evidence from a multilevel model suggest that individuals who prefer strong US leadership are more likely to perceive NATO as essential for security unless they are in a country that met the 2% defense spending criteria established by the alliance.

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