{"id":39596,"date":"2018-09-14T17:06:34","date_gmt":"2018-09-14T17:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/14\/naming-natos-headquarters-after-mccain-looks-unlikely\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:57:10","slug":"naming-natos-headquarters-after-mccain-looks-unlikely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/09\/14\/naming-natos-headquarters-after-mccain-looks-unlikely\/","title":{"rendered":"Naming NATO\u2019s headquarters after McCain looks unlikely"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Following the death<\/a> of Sen. John McCain, three former secretaries general of NATO put forth the idea<\/a> that the alliance\u2019s new headquarters should be named after the longtime U.S. politician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But NATO\u2019s current secretary general threw cold water on that idea during a Friday appearance in Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked about the possibility, Jens Stoltenberg, who has held the job since 2014, heaped praise on McCain, a \u201clife-long\u201d advocate for the alliance. But he quickly noted that there are many world leaders who might also qualify for the honor, and that the realities of NATO mean its probably not going to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNATO doesn\u2019t have a tradition of naming building[s] after politicians. We are 29 allies, with a lot of presidents, kings, heads of state and governments. So we haven\u2019t introduced that tradition,\u201d the NATO head told an audience at the Heritage Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m certain we will be able to honor John McCain, but not necessarily through naming a building,\u201d Stoltenberg added. \u201cWe honor John McCain every day through the fact that we stand together and deliver strong, trans-Atlantic deterrence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t