NATO to shift 2 commands from US to European leadership amid Trump’s demands that NATO give more to its defense

As President Trump continues to press Europe to contribute more to its own defense, NATO announced two Joint Force Commands would transition from U.S. leadership to European in the coming years.

The move “is part of a shift to more fairly sharing responsibility within NATO, with European allies taking on greater leadership roles in NATO’s command structure,” NATO said in a statement ahead of a meeting of defense ministers this week. The statement also noted that the U.S. would continue to maintain the role of supreme allied commander Europe, or SACEUR, as part of “making clear the U.S. commitment to NATO command and control.”

Last month, the Trump administration released its National Defense Strategy, which emphasized that NATO allies should take the primary responsibility for Europe’s defense as the U.S. focuses more on defending the homeland and deterring China. 

The lead author of that strategy, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, is expected to attend the NATO Defense Ministerial this week, instead of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This is the first NATO defense ministerial Hegseth has skipped since taking office. 

The transition in leadership of the two commands is expected to take place gradually over the next few years. 

A Pentagon official said the decision to transfer commands was “made jointly among all allies.” 

“The decision strengthens the alliance by showing European leadership in European defense and enhancing European defense capabilities,” the official said in a statement. 

The command in Norfolk, Virginia, has facilities on a larger installation that will remain under the control of the U.S. Navy when a U.K. officer assumes command. According to its website, it is NATO’s newest operational command and focuses on protecting the Atlantic and the Arctic. 

Italy will take over Joint Force Command Naples, while Germany and Poland will on a rotational basis share command of Joint Force Command Brunssum, currently led by Germany. Once the changes are made, all three Joint Force Commands that lead operations in crisis will be under European leadership.  

The U.S. will take leadership of the Allied Maritime Command, which is currently led by a U.K. vice admiral. This means the U.S. will lead the three functional commands, Allied Maritime Command, Allied Land Command and Allied Air Command. 

The SACEUR, commander of all NATO forces, is a position that has always been held by an American officer. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, who leads the 80,000 U.S. service members currently in U.S. European Command, is the current supreme allied commander.