Eisenhower refused to commit the support of the US and the full support of NATO (since it did not have a specific mechanism to implement joint military action), claiming that intervention was against the principles of national self-determination. Eisenhower also wanted to keep his options open in the Middle East in terms of alliances against the Soviet Union, which Nasser, the revolutionary leader in Egypt at the time, also opposed.

Eisenhower admonished French and British governments for their colonial style intervention, but also tried to use NATO as the main vehicle to re-open negotiation in terms of use of the canal, perceiving this as a way of keeping his admonishment of military action in area from damaging the unity between the WWII allies via NATO.