Washington has agreed to transfer two of NATO’s most prominent regional command posts to European officers, a move that marks a notable rebalancing of responsibilities inside the alliance. The decisions, reported by German and international outlets and confirmed by NATO officials, would place the Naples command under Italian leadership and the Norfolk command under British leadership, posts currently held by American generals.
NATO diplomats say the reallocation of senior officer duties will be phased over a period of months rather than as an immediate handover. Officials characterize the change as part of a broader effort to give European allies a more prominent part in the alliance’s peacetime command architecture while preserving continuity for alliance operations.
The shift comes against the backdrop of a new U.S. national security strategy that prioritizes competition with China and signals a desire to reduce forward-deployed U.S. forces in Europe where feasible. Washington frames the move as a way to strengthen NATO by increasing European ownership of the alliance’s military command responsibilities rather than as a withdrawal from NATO commitments.
At the same time, the highest operational commands for NATO’s sea, land and air components will remain located in Washington, and the post of Supreme Allied Commander Europe will continue to be held by an American. U.S. representatives to NATO have stressed that the reassignments are designed to bolster the alliance’s collective capability by asking Europeans to assume greater leadership, even as some political friction persists after recent public strains between Washington and allies.
For European capitals the change is both an opportunity and a test. Giving Italy and the United Kingdom leadership of major regional hubs elevates their political and operational profiles within NATO and allows Europe to demonstrate greater strategic responsibility. But the move also raises practical questions about interoperability, logistics and the resources needed to sustain forward command structures without U.S. personnel in key roles.
Strategically, the transfers will be read in two ways: as a pragmatic adaptation to Washington’s global priorities and as an inducement for Europeans to accelerate defence investment and deeper integration. NATO intends the shift to be incremental and reversible, which preserves alliance cohesion while nudging members toward more parity in burden‑sharing and command ownership.