US may give up its role as NATO's commander-in-chief in Europe

The U.S. Pentagon is weighing a significant restructuring of its military’s combatant commands, with one of the key proposals potentially involving the United States relinquishing its long-held role as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) of NATO’s joint military force in Europe.

This position, which has been exclusively held by an American officer for nearly 75 years, could be given up under plans currently under consideration by the Trump administration, Caliber.Az reports, citing American media.

According to two defence officials familiar with the ongoing discussions, the U.S. military is exploring the possibility of other NATO nations nominating a member country to fill the post of SACEUR, shifting away from the U.S.-led tradition. This move would come as part of a broader overhaul of the Pentagon’s combatant commands, which are responsible for overseeing military operations across various global regions.

The restructuring could also see the consolidation of five of the U.S. military’s 11 combatant commands. In a significant shift, the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) might be merged into a single entity based in Stuttgart, Germany. Furthermore, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in Florida could be shut down and integrated with U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM).

The proposed changes are being considered with an eye on reducing operational costs and streamlining military operations. Officials indicate that the restructuring would save up to $270 million in the first year alone, representing approximately 0.03% of the Department of Defense’s annual $850 billion budget.

While the financial savings may seem modest in comparison to the overall budget, the reorganization aims to eliminate redundancies and improve efficiency in the U.S. military’s global command structure.

By Khagan Isayev