JOE Biden tonight declared Ben Wallace a “very qualified” candidate to lead NATO.
The President was quizzed at a White House press conference about the Defence Secretary’s hopes of heading up the Western alliance later this year.
Asked if it was time for the first British Secretary General in two decades, the leader of the free world said “maybe.”
He added that such matters required a full consensus of all 30 countries and discussions were ongoing over who would replace Jens Stoltenberg who steps down in the autumn.
Mr Biden added: “That remains to be seen. We’re going to have to get a consensus within NATO to see that happen.
“They have a candidate who is a very qualified individual.
“But we’re gonna have a lot of discussion between us, but in NATO to determine what the outcome of that will be.”
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Mr Wallace threw his hat into the ring to head up the military group last month.
Rishi Sunak was expected to lobby for his pitch on his trip to Washington.
But he faces competition from Danish PM Mette Frederiksen who is also believed to announce a tilt.