Washington, February 10, 2026 – The Europe Today: The United States is set to transfer control of two major NATO command posts to European officers, marking a significant shift in the Alliance’s military leadership structure, according to a military source.
Under the planned changes, European officers would assume command of NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command in Naples and Joint Force Command Norfolk, both of which are currently led by U.S. admirals. The source said the move aligns with calls by U.S. President Donald Trump for European nations to take greater responsibility for their own security and for the Alliance to move toward a more European-led structure.
While the United States would relinquish leadership of the two top-level commands, it is expected to retain control of three other NATO commands lower in the hierarchy but with significant operational responsibilities. These include Allied Air Command, Allied Maritime Command, and Allied Land Command, according to the military source and another person familiar with the matter.
Commenting on the planned changes, a NATO official said that allies have agreed on a new distribution of senior officer responsibilities across the NATO Command Structure, allowing European allies, including the Alliance’s newest members, to play a more prominent role in military leadership. The official added that the decision is linked to planning for future rotations and that further details would be provided in due course.
The reported command reshuffle was first disclosed by French publication La Lettre and later by Politico, media reports said.
