Amr Abdelaty‏‏

Amid accelerating geopolitical shifts and intensifying global competition on the African continent, the United States is seeking to restructure its military presence in Africa in a way that reflects a fundamental change in its defense policy priorities. Washington is no longer focused on traditional approaches centered on promoting good governance and development, especially under President Donald Trump’s administration, which prioritizes domestic security and reducing global military deployments. Instead, the U.S. is moving toward building security partnerships based on burden-sharing and empowering local militaries to rely on their own capabilities. This new strategy comes at a time of rising terrorist threats and growing Chinese and Russian influence in the vacuum left by Washington’s retrenchment.Multiple DimensionsSince President Donald Trump took the oath of office in January 2025, several indicators have emerged pointing to the administration’s efforts to restructure its military footprint in Africa. The most notable of these developments are as follows:1- Assessing the Future of AFRICOM: General Michael Langley, Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), stated in a press briefing ahead of the African Chiefs of Defense Conference held in Kenya on May 27, 2025, that the United States is currently reviewing the future of AFRICOM. Langley emphasized AFRICOM’s continued importance to the U.S. administration, noting that its future depends on the level of political and diplomatic support it receives.These developments unfold against a complex geopolitical and security backdrop. AFRICOM was established in 2008 to address terrorist threats and to counter competition from China and Russia. However, it has faced broad opposition from African nations that reject any expansion of U.S. military presence.2- Proposal to Merge AFRICOM with EUCOM: The U.S. media reported in March that the Trump administration is considering merging AFRICOM with the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) to reduce bureaucracy and cut costs by streamlining the command structure. Under this plan, AFRICOM would become a subordinate command to EUCOM.This step is part of a broader review of U.S. global military deployments, aimed at achieving greater organizational and financial efficiency. On February 21, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited AFRICOM headquarters in Germany. The Pentagon noted that this visit was part of broader efforts to enhance cooperation with EUCOM and deepen military coordination.However, this plan has faced strong opposition from the chairs of the congressional armed services committees, who warned against reducing AFRICOM’s operational independence amid escalating security challenges in Africa, particularly terrorism and the expanding presence of China and Russia. General Langley also cautioned that merging AFRICOM would complicate its operations due to the unique security environment on the continent, stressing that current circumstances call for increased U.S. focus on Africa, not a drawdown.3- Burden-Sharing with African Partners: As part of its evolving strategic approach, the United States continues to call on African partners to shoulder greater responsibility in managing their own security affairs and addressing mounting challenges such as terrorism and political instability.U.S. officials, led by General Langley, emphasize that the coming phase requires a real transition toward burden-sharing, where the U.S. is no longer the sole guarantor of stability on the continent. Instead, local partners must become more capable of independently managing military operations. These calls reflect a shift in American military priorities, now focused on securing the homeland and reducing costly foreign interventions. This becomes particularly important as geopolitical competition with China and Russia intensifies.4- Strengthening African Militaries: Strengthening the capacity of African militaries and enabling them to operate independently has become the only viable path for sustaining security cooperation with the United States, without requiring widespread American military presence on the continent. In this context, joint exercises such as "African Lion" stand out as key examples of this approach. These exercises aim to enhance the readiness of African forces and enable them to carry out complex operations with advanced local capabilities.The drills include land, air, and naval tactical training, as well as the development of joint planning, cyber defense, and responses to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. This enhances the participating forces’ ability to confront regional security challenges with high efficiency.5- Continued Intelligence Cooperation with African States: Despite rising political tensions and waning American influence in West Africa due to military coups, the United States is still seeking to maintain certain levels of intelligence cooperation with the ruling regimes in the Sahel region. General Langley stated that Washington has not completely cut intelligence ties with these governments. Instead, it is exploring "new ways to remain security-engaged in the region" amid growing security complexities and the expanding influence of Russia through the Wagner Group.This intelligence cooperation represents a U.S. effort to ensure a minimum level of information access and the ability to respond to threats, especially those linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS affiliates in the Sahel.Opportunities for RivalsIn conclusion, the United States is moving toward reducing its direct military role in Africa while focusing on building up the capabilities of local security forces to operate independently. This shift is part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to redirect resources toward domestic security while encouraging allies to take on greater security responsibilities.In contrast, opportunities for China and Russia to fill the vacuum left by the U.S. are increasing. Both powers are training African forces, supplying them with arms, and employing mercenaries, as in the case of the Russian Wagner Group. As Washington reduces its military presence and redirects resources, terrorist threats continue to grow. Africa is now a major hub for the activities of al-Qaeda and ISIS, particularly in Somalia and the Sahel region. Security analysts believe that most African armies lack sufficient capabilities, especially in air power and ground surveillance, to effectively address these escalating threats.These dynamics challenge the United States’ traditional influence on the continent and open the door to a reconfiguration of the regional security order. With the rise of terrorist threats and the fragility of many African states, the future of U.S.-Africa security relations now hinges on the ability of local partners to respond to these challenges without total reliance on American support.

Why Washington is Restructuring its Military Presence in Africa