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Senate hearing: EUCOM commander urges sustained U.S. posture in Europe, warns against relinquishing SACEUR role
Summary
General Christopher Cavoli told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Russia remains a chronic threat and that the United States should maintain a forward military presence in Europe while European allies increase spending; he warned that removing the U.S. dual-hat SACEUR role could complicate nuclear command-and-control and allied defense.
General Christopher Cavoli, commander of U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that Russia remains a “chronic and growing threat” and urged the United States to keep a robust forward military posture in Europe.
“Russia is now mobilized for permanent war,” Cavoli said, arguing that a precipitous U.S. withdrawal would risk encouraging Russian adventurism before European allies finish rebuilding their forces. He said NATO deterrence has held and that EUCOM and allied efforts have enabled Ukraine’s defense while accelerating allied modernization.
Why it matters: Cavoli and senators on both sides of the aisle flagged the strategic link between U.S. forces in Europe and allied efforts to deter and, if necessary, respond to Russian aggression. Maintaining a U.S. presence, he said, provides access, basing and intelligence vital to collective defense while Europe ramps up spending.
Cavoli described concrete capabilities where the United States remains indispensable, including high-end air and missile defense, long-range fires, and intelligence collection. “We use [the 3.1–3.45 GHz] band principally in our air and missile defense systems,” he said when asked about spectrum needed for radar and tracking systems, noting loss of that bandwidth would require classified mitigation.
Several senators raised the administration’s reported consideration of structural changes to the combatant commands — specifically proposals to merge U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) into EUCOM and to remove the U.S. officer holding the SACEUR dual hat. Cavoli cautioned that changing the SACEUR arrangement could pose challenges for nuclear command-and-control and that any major reorganization would require detailed study. “Giving up this command, in fact, could really endanger our national security,” he said in response to questions.
Cavoli and senators also discussed the strategic importance of the Greenland–Iceland–U.K. (GIUK) gap and the Arctic. Cavoli said Greenland forms the western boundary of the GIUK gap, a maritime choke point through which Russian submarines transit to the Atlantic, and described the area as critical to tracking and holding potential targets at risk.
On burden-sharing, Cavoli said many European allies are increasing defense budgets — citing a roughly 40% rise in allied defense spending since February 2022 — but that converting budgets into industrial capacity and fielded capability will take time. “There’s more money available than stuff right now,” he said, urging attention to the defense industrial base.
The open hearing also included discussion of readiness, force placement, and alliance contributions. Cavoli emphasized that U.S. forces provide unique capabilities and mobility and that locations for U.S. basing should enable rapid deployment and sustainment.
Ending note: The senators framed the discussion around the tradeoffs of American global commitments and the pace at which European allies can convert spending into credible forces. Cavoli, who said this would be his last committee testimony before retirement, urged continued U.S. leadership in NATO while pressing allies to shoulder a larger share of defense responsibilities.
