What accounts for African responses to the creation of the U.S. Africa Command? Rather than attributing negative reactions to Pentagon “public relations” errors, a content analysis of over 500 African news reports shows that countries sustaining high levels of growth with lower overall levels of foreign aid were more critical of AFRICOM – even if they are traditional American allies. The findings, to be published in Africa Today, suggest that recent economic progress among African countries is contributing to their policy latitude.