Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.

US weighs relinquishing long-time NATO command role: NBC News

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: NBC News
  • 19 Mar 2025 15:07
5 Min Read

Separately, the US is expected to halt a planned expansion of US Forces Japan, saving an estimated $1.18 billion.

Listen
  • x
  • Trump, NATOA man sets up a US flag before then-United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken's press conference in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022 (AP)

The Pentagon is undertaking a significant overhaul of US military combatant commands and headquarters, with one proposal under consideration involving giving up the US role as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), NBC News reported on Tuesday, citing two defense officials.

The current SACEUR, who also heads the US European Command, has played a pivotal role in coordinating support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. The timeline for any restructuring remains uncertain and could be modified before completion. Congressional intervention is also possible, particularly if lawmakers object to aspects of the initiative.

Withdrawing the SACEUR position would represent a profound symbolic shift in NATO’s power dynamics, potentially impacting the alliance that has been central to European security since World War II.

“For the United States to give up the role of supreme allied commander of NATO would be seen in Europe as a significant signal of walking away from the alliance,” retired Adm. James Stavridis, who served as SACEUR from 2009 to 2013, emphasized in an email.

“It would be a political mistake of epic proportion, and once we give it up, they are not going to give it back," he cautioned. "We would lose an enormous amount of influence within NATO, and this would be seen, correctly, as probably the first step toward leaving the Alliance altogether.”

Since former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower inaugurated the SACEUR role, it has been held by several of America’s most notable military leaders, including Alexander Haig, John Shalikashvili, and Wesley Clark.

The proposed restructuring aligns with the Trump administration’s broader efforts to cut spending and federal workforce numbers. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have emphasized that European allies must assume greater responsibility for their own defense. Should the US relinquish the SACEUR role, NATO members would have to decide which nation would assume the position.

Trump has frequently criticized NATO members for failing to meet the alliance’s defense spending targets. He has also considered a major policy shift that could see the US declining to defend NATO allies that do not meet their defense spending commitments, a move that challenges a core tenet of the alliance.

If enacted, the restructuring would consolidate five of the military’s 11 combatant commands, according to the two defense officials. Additionally, the plan under consideration includes merging US European Command (EUCOM) with US Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Stuttgart, Germany, and closing the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) headquarters in Florida to merge it with US Northern Command (NORTHCOM).

Related News

US, China to resume talks in Madrid; tariffs, TikTok on agenda

China warns Philippines against provocations in South China Sea

Officials familiar with the planning argue that combining commands would reduce redundancy and cut costs, with potential first-year savings estimated at $270 million—about 0.03% of the Pentagon’s $850 billion annual budget. However, critics suggest that the changes are driven by cost-cutting rather than strategic military planning.

Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former senior US Army commander in Europe, warned that the reorganization could diminish American influence by reducing access to key military bases in Italy, Germany, Poland, and Spain.

“When you start reducing capabilities of headquarters that do planning and intelligence — that only hurts us,” Hodges told NBC News. "This has happened so early that this clearly smells like a cost-cutting thing than a strategic analysis.”

Combining EUCOM and AFRICOM may also prove problematic due to the vast geographical scope and distinct challenges of both regions, Stavridis indicated.

"Combining US European command and US Africa command into a single unit creates a mega combatant command that really is too large for any single person to manage realistically,” he wrote. “Too many countries, too many people, too many disparate issues."

The two defense officials said that if EUCOM and AFRICOM are merged, it could further justify eliminating the SACEUR role, given the already extensive responsibilities of overseeing such a large region.

Critics warn that closing geographic commands introduces political risks, as affected nations may perceive the US as deprioritizing them.

Additionally, the restructuring plan includes relocating hundreds of Joint Staff personnel from the Pentagon to Suffolk, Virginia, and eliminating the J7 Directorate, responsible for joint force training. This move could result in the dismissal of approximately 375 civilian employees, primarily in planning, cyber, and force development.

Further cost-saving measures include eliminating US Space Command’s missile defense component, as its functions are deemed redundant. The Pentagon estimates that these restructuring efforts could save $470 million over five years.

Separately, the US is expected to halt a planned expansion of US Forces Japan, saving an estimated $1.18 billion. However, the decision carries diplomatic risks, as it may impact command and control capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Read more: US to drop out of future NATO military exercises in Europe

  • United States
  • Nato
  • US
  • Donald Trump

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Elon Musk attends a news conference with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

Elon Musk calls for dissolving UK parliament at London far-right rally

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas
Politics

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan
Politics

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor
Politics

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS