At the continent’s largest military exercise—African Lion 2025—the United States signaled a major strategic realignment, urging African nations to take the lead in securing their own borders. General Michael Langley, head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), emphasized the need for “independent operations” and increased “burden sharing” among local forces, marking a pivot away from Washington’s long-standing governance and development-focused approach.

“This is about enabling partners to secure their own borders,” Langley stated, underlining that the U.S. cannot remain Africa’s default security guarantor. His remarks echo Trump-era priorities, focusing on leaner military engagement and prioritizing homeland defense.

The shift comes as U.S. intelligence warns that Africa has become the new “epicenter” for jihadist activity, with al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates expanding in regions such as the Sahel and Horn of Africa. Despite years of American military aid and training, Langley acknowledged that partners like Somalia remain “under-resourced and ill-prepared.”

“Progress has been made, but capacity is still lacking,” he said, reinforcing concerns that without continued support, fragile armies could struggle to confront increasingly emboldened insurgents.

Security analysts are skeptical of the downsized approach. Judd Devermont, a senior Africa policy expert, warned: “Scaling down engagement, especially in hot zones like the Sahel, creates a vacuum extremists are eager to fill.” He added that weak institutions and poor infrastructure amplify the threat, as militant groups exploit governance failures and economic despair.