On Monday, President Donald Trump nominated Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds to be the next commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa (USAFE). Unlike previous commanders, who have been promoted to four-star general, Hinds’ assignment will remain at the lieutenant general grade.

A spokesperson from the Department of the Air Force indicated that the decision to not promote Hinds aligns with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s initiative to reduce the number of general officers in the military. The spokesperson stated, “In alignment with the Department of War directive to reduce general and flag officer positions, the nominee for the United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa commander is at the lieutenant general grade.” This initiative aims to bolster the effectiveness of military leadership by removing bureaucratic redundancies.

Defense Secretary Hegseth emphasized in May the importance of cultivating senior leaders who can drive innovation, stating, “The Department of Defense is committed to ensuring the lethality of U.S. military forces to deter threats and, when necessary, achieve decisive victory.” He underscored the necessity of optimizing leadership structures by diminishing excess general officer positions.

There has been ongoing criticism from Trump regarding U.S. involvement in Europe, particularly concerning allies’ defense spending. During the latter part of his first term, Trump initiated plans to withdraw some troops from Germany. While some lawmakers have voiced concerns over potential reductions in troop levels amidst Russia’s aggressiveness, Hegseth mentioned in February that there were no immediate plans to cut troop levels in Europe.

Hinds, who has nearly 30 years of military experience, has been serving as the deputy commander of USAFE since September 2024 and as the acting commander since May, following the retirement of Gen. James Hecker. His background includes significant roles as an F-22 and F-15 instructor pilot and wing commander.

The USAFE commander oversees U.S. airpower in Europe and Africa and leads NATO Allied Air Command. Historically, for the first 12 years after its establishment in 1945, USAFE was usually headed by three-star generals. This pattern shifted in 1957, during the Cold War, when Gen. Frank Everest became the first four-star commander of the unit, initiating a nearly 70-year trend of four-star leadership.

Currently, the Air Force has about 11 four-star generals, including positions such as Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin and the Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Daniel Caine. Additionally, the White House announced other nominations for major general promotions and new assignments, including Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost and Maj. Gen. Jennifer Hammerstedt, among others.

Stephen Losey, who covers air warfare for Defense News, reports on leadership and personnel issues, as well as U.S. Air Force operations.