USA Aims to Transfer Control of NATO Command Centers to Allies

The United States plans to relinquish its leading role in the management of two NATO military command centers while simultaneously taking control of the alliance's maritime operations center, Politico reports, citing informed sources.

Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. permanent representative to NATO, compared U.S. European allies to children who should no longer be dependent on their parents—namely, the United States. "Washington wants the United Kingdom to take over control of NATO's joint force command in Norfolk, Virginia, to complement the joint force command in Naples, Italy... Meanwhile, the U.S. intends to assume control of the Allied Maritime Command, which serves as the central command center for all NATO maritime forces located in Hertfordshire, England," the publication states.