US Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich was appointed today by US President Donald Trump to serve as the NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Europe (SACEUR). Lt. Gen. Grynkewich will now face Senate confirmation hearings.
All 32 NATO allies have agreed to his appointment, and he will simultaneously serve as the Commander of the US European Command (EUCOM).
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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the announcement today from Brussels, via a press release from the Pentagon.
Hegseth is in Brussels for a NATO meeting, but skipped a Ukraine-focused NATO defense chiefs’ meeting on Wednesday. Hegseth has been critical of European countries for not spending enough on defense and decreasing dependence on the US for security and stability.
“The United States is proud to be here, to stand with our allies, but our message is gonna continue to be clear: It’s deterrence and peace through strength, but it cannot be reliance,” said the US defense secretary today, according to Politico. Hegseth had mistakenly and temporarily halted aid to Ukraine in January, after misunderstanding a conversation with Trump in the first weeks of the administration.
The Trump administration, in line with previous presidential administrations, has been attempting to rebalance US defense assets away from Europe and towards the Pacific theater. In March, NBC reported that the US was considering giving up the Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR) position, a post they have held since the 1950s. “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 told NBC.
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The appointment of Lt. Gen. Grynkewich may assuage some fears in Europe that the US is withdrawing from its leadership role in defense.
Lt. Gen. Grynkewich commissioned into the US Air Force in 1993 and currently serves as the director for Operations of the Joint Staff (J-3) at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
He will replace Christopher Cavoli, who has been in the role since 2022 and was critical in supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia.
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