When a U.S. president bestows major non-NATO ally status on countries, it is not just an honorific. The status bestows privileges on the recipient, allowing it favorable access to materials and supplies and even technologies still in the testing process. Major non-NATO allies also often preposition supplies and undertake regular training with the U.S. military. Beyond the legislative substance, the status reflects diplomatic endorsement and greenlights investment.

In recent years, however, U.S. presidents have both bestowed the status as a diplomatic bauble to undeserving countries, including those who often act against U.S. interests or, conversely, withheld the status from countries that consistently augment national security but ran afoul of progressive orthodoxy.