All right, I don't dispute that a larger NATO is in US geopolitical interests. I just disagree with the framing that NATO is expanding vs. countries independently seeking to join.

It may sound like a minor difference, but that plays to the Russian narrative of US violating their sphere of influence. In this imperialistic worldview smaller countries have no agency and are just pawns of larger powers. This is at the core of the current war too -- Russia desperately trying to prevent Ukraine from following the path of westward alignment that it has independently chosen.