BRUSSELS (Realist English). The United States is openly signalling that it may, in the future, give up its historic control over NATO’s highest military position — a role always held by an American general or admiral since the alliance was founded.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said Washington would welcome the day when Germany is ready to assume the position of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), a pivotal post that oversees NATO forces on the continent and commands US troops stationed in Europe.
“I look forward to the day when Germany comes to the United States and says that we’re ready to take over the Supreme Allied Commander position,” Whitaker said, noting the shift would not come soon but should be part of long-term discussions.
Whitaker stressed that the US wants Europe’s defence capabilities to rise to a level “equal” to America’s — calling this an aspirational, but necessary, goal for the alliance.
A sign of deeper strategic change
Multiple NATO officials and US sources told Euronews the comments align with the Trump administration’s long-running push for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security. One senior NATO official said the message reflects Washington’s view that “European security should increasingly be in European hands.”
But other defence officials expressed scepticism, noting that SACEUR gives the US enormous strategic leverage and direct command over 78,000 US troops in Europe — authority Washington is unlikely to abandon easily.
Analysts say the discussion comes at a highly sensitive moment. A leaked US–Russia draft plan on ending the conflict on the territory of former Ukraine triggered concerns that Washington may be preparing to step back from NATO’s leadership role.
German security expert Claudia Major described the trend as a “de-Americanisation of NATO,” while other experts warned that amid the volatility of the conflict, the US cannot afford to disengage too quickly.
What a non-US SACEUR would mean
Replacing an American commander with a German or European officer would break a political tradition dating back to 1951. Experts note the structural implications:
- SACEUR is “double-hatted,” commanding both NATO forces and US European Command. A European commander would not have authority over US troops.
- The shift would require a major restructuring of NATO’s command system.
- Only Germany and the UK currently possess the financial and military weight to assume such a role.
Sources told Euronews the idea is not formally under discussion inside NATO headquarters.
Europe’s rapid rearmament
Germany’s ongoing military buildup — from reintroducing conscription to exempting defence spending above 1% of GDP from debt limits — has positioned Berlin as the financial engine behind Europe’s rearmament.
Security analyst Carlo Masala said Germany is “stepping into a new military-political role,” though Berlin has yet to fully recognise the scale of this shift.
Still, even if Europe takes on more military responsibility, experts argue that NATO’s command structure is deeply integrated with the US, and replacing an American SACEUR alone would not meaningfully “Europeanise” the alliance unless Washington also scaled down its personnel and institutional footprint.
US pullback unlikely — but pressure on Europe grows
Officials in the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence told Euronews a full US withdrawal from NATO is not expected, since Washington needs the alliance for global influence. However, the pressure on Europe to assume broader defence responsibilities is increasing — and Whitaker’s remarks suggest Washington is preparing allies for a long-term rebalancing of roles.