Trump Suggests Germany Could Eventually Lead NATO’s Military Command
On November 19, 2025, during the Berlin Security Conference, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker openly floated the idea that Germany could one day assume leadership of NATO’s Allied Command Operations (ACO). The remark has placed President Donald Trump at the heart of a major strategic debate about the future of the transatlantic alliance. Whitaker, a former Acting U.S. Attorney General under Trump’s first administration and a staunch loyalist, emphasized that this vision aligns with Washington’s push for greater European burden-sharing. “I look forward to the day when Germany comes to the United States and says it is ready to assume the role of Supreme Allied Commander,” he stated, framing it as an “aspirational goal” to encourage self-reliance among allies.
This proposal, while couched in diplomatic language, signals a potential seismic shift in NATO’s command structure. For decades, the SACEUR role—dual-hatted with U.S. European Command (EUCOM)—has symbolized American commitment to European security, ensuring seamless integration of U.S. nuclear assets, intelligence, and rapid-response capabilities. Handing it to a European nation, particularly Germany, would upend a “gentlemen’s agreement” that has balanced U.S. military leadership with a European civilian secretary general. Reactions were immediate and mixed: German Lt. Gen. Wolfgang Wien, NATO’s Military Committee representative, appeared visibly surprised, responding, “I see it a little bit differently,” and underscoring the role’s “very, very important” status as U.S. territory.
Trump’s Broader NATO Philosophy: From Criticism to Rebalancing
Since returning to office in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly insisted that Europe—and Germany in particular—must bear a far greater share of the collective defense burden. While this demand is consistent with his long-standing position—famously calling NATO “obsolete” during his 2016 campaign and threatening withdrawal in 2018—the suggestion of transferring SACEUR takes the argument to an unprecedented level. Trump’s “America First” doctrine views U.S. alliances as transactional, prioritizing Indo-Pacific threats like China over European commitments. In a June 2025 Hague Summit speech, he touted NATO’s progress toward higher spending but warned, “Europe must stop freeloading—or pay the price.”
This isn’t mere rhetoric. The administration has already withdrawn 700 U.S. troops from NATO’s eastern flank in October 2025, reallocating them to Asia, and floated an 8% Pentagon budget cut that could fold U.S. European and Africa commands into a joint structure based in Germany. Congressional Republicans, led by hawks like Sen. Lindsey Graham, issued a rare rebuke in March 2025, calling any SACEUR handover “a political mistake of epic proportion” that could signal U.S. abandonment. Retired Adm. James Stavridis, a former SACEUR, echoed this, warning it would erode deterrence and embolden adversaries like Russia.
Germany’s Transformation: From Zeitenwende to European Heavyweight
Germany has indeed undergone a dramatic shift since 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s “Zeitenwende” (turning point) speech, creating a €100 billion special fund for Bundeswehr modernization. Under Chancellor Friedrich Merz—who assumed office on May 6, 2025, after a snap February election and a historic two-round Bundestag vote—Berlin has committed to building “the strongest conventional army in Europe.” Merz, a 69-year-old corporate lawyer and CDU leader since 2022, narrowly secured a coalition with the SPD after the CDU/CSU’s 28.6% victory, marking the highest voter turnout since 1990. His initial defeat in the first parliamentary vote—falling six short of a majority—highlighted internal divisions but ultimately bolstered his image as a resilient conservative rival to Merkel’s centrism.
Merz’s government has dramatically increased defense spending to meet (and now exceed) NATO’s 2% GDP target, with the 2026 budget hitting €108.2 billion—2.8% of GDP—and projections reaching €162 billion (5%) by 2035. This includes a €500 billion (2025–2035) overhaul, exempting defense from the debt brake, and a €377 billion procurement wishlist for 320 new projects: F-35 jets, Leopard 2A8 tanks, IRIS-T missiles, P-8 Poseidon aircraft, and HIMARS systems. Rheinmetall and Diehl Defence dominate contracts worth €17.3 billion for air defense alone. Troop numbers aim to rise from 182,000 to 203,000 by 2031 (potentially 240,000), with €19 billion for “Multitarn” uniforms and gear under the FASER program to support 460,000 personnel by the mid-2030s.
For the Trump administration, this trajectory strengthens the case for giving Germany a larger leadership role within the alliance. The underlying logic is straightforward: if Germany becomes Europe’s military heavyweight—outpacing France and the UK in spending and capabilities—it should also accept commensurate responsibilities. Merz has echoed this, pledging “whatever it takes” for Ukraine aid and NATO cohesion during a May 2025 Kyiv visit with Macron, Starmer, and Tusk. On X, @bundeskanzler affirmed, “Ukraine can count on us,” amid U.S. wavering.
Implications: Autonomy, Controversy, and Global Realignment
Transferring SACEUR to a European officer would mark a historic departure from seven decades of U.S. dominance and could, in theory, enhance Europe’s ability to act autonomously in regional crises—an outcome Washington increasingly welcomes as it seeks to reduce its own commitments to counter China. Proponents argue it would catalyze EU defense integration, with joint ventures in drones, electronic warfare, and AI via the European Defence Agency. Yet the idea remains highly controversial, both for historical reasons and because of lingering doubts about Europe’s operational readiness and political unity. Russia’s war in Ukraine—exacerbated by Trump’s 28-point “peace plan” leaked in November 2025, which cedes territories and limits Ukrainian forces—heightens fears of weakened deterrence.
Trump’s SACEUR gambit underscores a pivotal moment: NATO’s evolution from U.S.-led bulwark to a more balanced partnership, or risk fracture under isolationist pressures. For Germany, it’s a call to shed post-war reticence; for Europe, a spur to unity. As Merz builds the Bundeswehr into a €500 billion powerhouse, the alliance must navigate this uncharted terrain. Failure could embolden autocrats; success might forge a resilient Euro-Atlantic order. The Hague Summit’s 5% spending pledge by 2035 offers a roadmap, but only if allies seize it.
