US President Donald Trump will uphold the tradition of having an American general as NATO supreme commander, at least for now, Reuters reported, citing three US officials, a Western official and a NATO source, BTA reported.
Trump himself said this in a private conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the Western official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The decision will reassure European NATO allies and even some of Trump's Republican Party colleagues, amid concerns that Washington's tone toward Europe and skepticism about the war in Ukraine could lead to America's withdrawal from the leadership role, Reuters points out.
According to US officials, the US is expected to nominate a lieutenant general in the coming days Alexis Grinkiewicz of the US Air Force will be the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe and head of US European Command. The post of Supreme Allied Commander Europe, which is responsible for all NATO operations in Europe, has been held by a US general since its creation after World War II, Reuters noted. Greenkiewicz, who is currently the chief of operations for the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, will take over from General Christopher Cavoli, who was appointed to the post shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has been pressuring Europe to increase its own defense spending and says Europe should bear primary responsibility for its own defense, Reuters reported. It is not yet clear how quickly Europe will take over this role, according to US officials. role and there are still discussions in the Trump administration about the possibility of transferring the post of Supreme Allied Commander Europe to a European country.
Officials say there are recommendations that the Trump administration should shift its focus to Asia and America's security.
They say that although no decisions have been made yet, the Trump administration is considering a possible reduction in the number of military personnel in Europe, where about 80,000 American soldiers are currently stationed.
The Pentagon, the White House and NATO have not yet commented on this information, Reuters notes.