Gen. Christopher Donahue, the commanding general of U.S. Army forces in Europe and Africa and the simultaneous head of NATO's Allied Land Command, will resign on July 2 at the request of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Army confirmed. Donahue joins more than two dozen senior military leaders who have departed early under Hegseth's leadership, as the Pentagon presses forward with a campaign to reduce the number of generals and redirect resources toward expanding the enlisted ranks.
Who Gen. Donahue Is, and Why His Exit Matters
Donahue is best known outside the Army as the last U.S. soldier to board a plane out of Afghanistan in August 2021 — a moment preserved in an iconic photograph taken through night-vision goggles as he stepped onto a C-17 cargo plane. At the time, he commanded the 82nd Airborne Division and was tasked with overseeing security at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the chaotic final days of America's nearly 20-year war. The evacuation airlifted roughly 124,000 Afghan civilians, drawing bipartisan praise even as the broader withdrawal strategy faced sharp criticism.
A West Point graduate who led Delta Force units in Iraq and Afghanistan, Donahue was widely regarded inside the Army as one of its most combat-seasoned officers. Since being appointed to his European command by President Biden in December 2024, he became the U.S. Army's foremost expert on drone warfare through his direct coordination of military aid to Ukraine following Russia's February 2022 invasion. Within institutional circles, Donahue had been considered a credible future candidate for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Broader Restructuring Signal
Donahue's forced retirement does not occur in isolation. It coincides with internal Army discussions to downgrade U.S. Army Europe and Africa from a four-star command to a three-star command — a structural demotion that would reduce the institutional weight of the American military presence on the continent. That conversation is running parallel to Hegseth's announcement last week in Brussels that he will lead a six-month review of U.S. forces in Europe. Addressing NATO officials directly, Hegseth framed the review as a pressure mechanism: he said it would be designed to ensure Europe assumes primary responsibility for its own defense, and that some countries would "fail" the review while others would "pass with flying colors."
Taken together, the departure of the Army's top European commander and the threatened command downgrade send a pointed signal about Washington's appetite for its current force posture on the continent — at precisely the moment European allies are weighing how much they can rely on American commitments.
What Happens Next
Donahue's deputy, Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, will assume his duties after July 2. Because Donahue has not held his fourth star for the three years required by statute, he will need a presidential waiver to retire at the four-star pay grade. The Pentagon and the Army did not immediately comment on the departure, which was first reported by The Atlantic.