The president of the European Commission was said to be the United States’ preferred candidate after the White House rejected the Defence Secretary for the role.
A Nato source said that the US president was attempting to convince Mrs von der Leyen, a former German defense minister, to succeed Mr Stoltenberg amid fears a suitable candidate will not emerge in the next 12 months.
"We’re going to have a problem next year when it becomes clear that the field is no stronger than this year,” a second source said.
Mr Biden and Mrs von der Leyen have built "a strong bond” in recent years, fostering close transatlantic ties over China, Ukraine and the climate, another source said.
Fluent in French, she would likely secure the support of Emmanuel Macron, who was opposed to Mr Wallace’s candidacy.
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