Canada not counting on win at NATO vote to pick alliance’s new military leader
Canada is unlikely to secure the chair position of the NATO Military Committee for General Jennie Carignan due to a lack of U.S. support. The U.S. appears to be favoring the German candidate, General Carsten Breuer, for the alliance's top military role.
Why it matters
This reflects the complex geopolitical maneuvering and alliance dynamics within NATO regarding leadership appointments.
General Jennie Carignan, shown at her Ottawa office in 2025, is campaigning against her German counterpart to chair the NATO Military Committee, the Western alliance's most senior military role. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Ottawa is not counting on a win at a key NATO vote Saturday to pick a new leader for the Western alliance’s military committee, three sources say.
Canada’s top soldier, General Jennie Carignan, and her German counterpart are campaigning for the job. But an apparent lack of U.S. support is making a victory for the Canadian extremely difficult, according to the sources, who are familiar with the race.
Another source, a former senior national-security official who has been speaking with top U.S. military officers, said American support will not be forthcoming for Gen. Carignan. This represents an insurmountable obstacle to her candidacy, the official said.
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