Gen Christopher Donahue, who commanded the final American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, is stepping down from his role leading US Army forces across Europe and Africa after just 18 months, the Army confirmed this week. He will relinquish command on July 2.
Donahue's departure marks the latest in a string of nearly two dozen senior military leaders to exit their positions under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been systematically reducing the military's top officer ranks under the banner of "less generals, more GIs."
The general was the last soldier to leave Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, boarding a C-17 cargo plane in an image captured through night vision goggles that became iconic. He had overseen security at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the chaotic evacuation that ended a nearly two-decade war.
A West Point graduate and career special operations commander, Donahue led Delta Force units before commanding the 82nd Airborne Division from July 2020 to March 2022. His handling of the evacuation earned bipartisan praise at the time, and many in the military viewed him as a potential candidate for the service's top job or the chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
An Army official speaking on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press that Donahue's exit is connected to discussions about downgrading his command from a four-star to a three-star position. The move would reflect broader criticism Hegseth has leveled at European allies over defense spending and commitments.
Hegseth and President Donald Trump have repeatedly attacked the Afghanistan withdrawal, despite the operation resulting from a Taliban deal negotiated during Trump's first term. Last May, Hegseth ordered a new Pentagon review of the withdrawal even though the operation had already been examined by multiple agencies including the Pentagon, US Central Command, the State Department, and Congress. Those previous reviews involved hundreds of interviews and extensive analysis of video, photographs, and other documentation.
The new examination's specific objectives remain unclear. Hegseth told NATO allies last week that he would conduct a six-month review of American forces in Europe, saying some nations would "fail" and others "pass with flying colors" depending on whether they step up defense responsibilities.
Maj Gen Christopher Norrie will assume Donahue's duties in the interim.
Author James Rodriguez: "Donahue's abrupt exit exposes the real cost of Hegseth's officer purge, and raising questions about whether operational excellence still matters in this Pentagon."
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