General Christopher Donahue, the US Army’s commanding general of forces in Europe and Africa, is unexpectedly stepping down from his post after just 18 months in the job, the Army has confirmed.
Who is gen Christopher Donahue and why is he stepping down
Gen Christopher Donahue, commander of US Army Europe and Africa and NATO’s Allied Land Command will step down from his post on July 2, according to an Army statement.
He is the latest senior military leader to retire or leave early under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been working to reduce the number of top military officers under the slogan “less generals, more GIs,” as per AP.
Donahue’s deputy, Maj Gen Christopher Norrie, will temporarily take over his duties.
Donahue graduated from West Point and has spent much of his career in special operations.
He previously led Delta Force units in Iraq and Afghanistan before commanding the 82nd Airborne Division from July 2020 to March 2022. He is widely known as the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan on August 30, 2021. A night-vision image showing him boarding the final C-17 cargo plane became one of the most memorable photos from the US withdrawal, as per AP.
According to ABC News, an Army spokesperson said in a statement, “Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of US Army Europe and Africa and commander of NATO’s Allied Land Command, will relinquish command on July 2, 2026. The Army thanks Gen. Donahue for his leadership of US Army Europe and Africa.”
Maj Gen Christopher Norrie, deputy commander of US Army Europe and Africa, will serve as acting commander.
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How Pentagon reforms may have influenced Donahue’s exit
Donahue’s departure comes as Hegseth pushes ahead with a big overhaul of the Pentagon’s senior ranks, removing several top officers, including the Army’s top officer Gen Randy George. The command Donahue leads is also set to be downgraded from a four-star to a three-star post, as part of Hegseth’s push to cut down the number of generals, according to a US official cited by ABC News.
An Army official told AP that this comes amid Hegseth’s ongoing criticism of European allies. Last week, Hegseth told NATO allies he would conduct a six-month review of American forces in Europe to push Europe toward “leading” and “taking primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” as per AP. “It’s a review that some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors,” he added.
And four-star generals can only hold a position of that rank, so if no other slot is open, retirement becomes their only option.
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Who may replace him
Lieutenant General Kevin Admiral, the current commander of the Army’s III Armored Corps, is expected to be nominated to take over the role, according to a US official cited by ABC News.
Donahue has had a long military career, including leading the Army’s elite Delta Force and the well-known 82nd Airborne Division. He has also gained extensive combat experience during more than two decades of war. Within the Army, he has long been seen as one of its top officers and a possible future Army chief of staff.
