General Donahue Relinquishes Command After 18 Months
Gen Christopher Donahue, the commanding general of US Army Europe and Africa and commander of NATO's Allied Land Command, will step down on July 2, according to an Army statement provided to the Associated Press. He is leaving the post after only 18 months, making him one of nearly two dozen top military leaders to depart early under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has sought to reduce the number of senior officers with the mantra “less generals, more GIs.”
Donahue’s deputy, Maj Gen Christopher Norrie, will assume his duties temporarily. The Army confirmed the move late Tuesday.
Background of a Special Operations Commander
A West Point graduate and career special operations officer, Donahue commanded Delta Force units in Iraq and Afghanistan before leading the 82nd Airborne Division from July 2020 to March 2022. During that period, he oversaw security at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
On August 30, 2021, Donahue became the last US soldier to leave Afghanistan, ending nearly 20 years of war. The moment was captured in an iconic night-vision photograph of him boarding the final C-17 cargo plane out of the country.
Political and Pentagon Scrutiny
The withdrawal, initiated by a treaty negotiated by the Trump administration with the Taliban, has been a frequent target of criticism by Hegseth and former President Donald Trump. In May 2023, Hegseth ordered a new Pentagon review of the operation, despite multiple previous reviews by the Pentagon, US Central Command, the State Department, and Congress, which included hundreds of interviews and extensive analysis of video, photographs, and data. It remains unclear what new information the review seeks.
Despite the political controversy, Donahue’s leadership during the evacuation drew bipartisan praise. Within the Army, he was widely seen as a potential future service chief or Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Potential Command Downgrade and European Defense Review
An Army official speaking on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press that Donahue’s departure coincides with discussions about downgrading US Army Europe and Africa from a four-star to a three-star command. This comes amid ongoing criticism from Hegseth about European allies.
Last week, Hegseth informed NATO allies of a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe, “designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe.” He added, “It’s a review that some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors.”
The Pentagon did not immediately comment on Donahue’s departure, which was first reported by The Atlantic.
