General Christopher Donahue, the commanding general of US Army Europe and Africa, and commander of NATO's Allied Land Command, is set to relinquish his post on 2 July, the US Army confirmed. His departure comes after only 18 months in the role, a move described as unexpected given his distinguished career and bipartisan praise for his leadership during the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.
General Donahue gained international recognition as the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan on 30 August 2021, marking the end of nearly two decades of US military presence following the 9/11 attacks. A photograph taken through night-vision goggles, showing him boarding the final C-17 cargo plane, became an iconic image of the withdrawal. A graduate of West Point and a career special operations commander, Donahue previously led Delta Force units in Iraq and Afghanistan before commanding the 82nd Airborne Division.
His stepping down is part of a wider trend within the US military, with nearly two dozen top leaders retiring or departing early under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth has openly pursued a strategy to 'thin the ranks of the military’s top brass' with the mantra 'less generals, more GIs'. This initiative appears to be shaping the leadership structure across various commands.
Adding to the context of General Donahue's departure are ongoing discussions about potentially downgrading US Army Europe and Africa from a four-star to a three-star command. This potential reorganisation follows recent criticism from Secretary Hegseth regarding European allies' defence contributions. Last week, Hegseth announced a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe, explicitly stating it is '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 warned that 'some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors' in this review.
While General Donahue's leadership during the Afghanistan evacuation had garnered widespread praise across the political spectrum, his unexpected departure now leaves his deputy, Major General Christopher Norrie, to assume his duties in the interim. The US Pentagon has not yet offered immediate comment on the news, which was initially reported by The Atlantic.