The US Military’s commanding common of forces in Europe and Africa is stepping down after roughly a 12 months and a half on the coveted put up, Fox Information has confirmed.
Gen. Christopher Donahue — who additionally leads NATO’s Allied Land Command — will relinquish his command on July 2, based on an announcement from the Military.
Donahue’s deputy, Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, will take over his duties after July 2.
Donahue submitted his retirement papers on the request of Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has sought to shrink the variety of generals and prioritize including new GI’s.
He’s the newest navy chief of greater than two dozen to depart or retire early underneath Hegseth’s management.
“The Military thanks Gen. Donahue for his management of US Military Europe and Africa,” the Military mentioned in an announcement supplied to Fox Information.
Donahue is greatest referred to as the final US soldier to depart Afghanistan in August 2021, marking the tip of America’s practically 20-year conflict launched after the Sept. 11 assaults.
The second he stepped onto a C-17 cargo airplane was captured in an iconic photograph taken by way of night time imaginative and prescient goggles.
On the time, he was the commander of the 82nd Airborne Division and was introduced in to supervise safety at Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport throughout the chaotic withdrawal.
The Marines, not Donahue’s forces, have been in command of securing Abbey Gate on the airport, which was attacked by a member of ISIS-Okay in a suicide bombing that killed 13 US service members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians.
Donahue’s management of the evacuation, which noticed roughly 124,000 Afghan residents airlifted from the nation, drew reward from each Democrats and Republicans, though the broader withdrawal technique was criticized as rushed and haphazard.
President Donald Trump attacked former President Joe Biden over this for years, and final Could, Hegseth ordered a brand new investigation of the withdrawal following earlier probes of the operation by the Pentagon, US Central Command, the State Division and Congress.
A West Level graduate and a profession particular operations commander, Donahue led the Delta Power items in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He was then picked to be the 82nd Airborne Division commander from July 2020 to March 2022, earlier than being appointed to his present place by Biden in December 2024.
As a prime commander in Europe, Donahue coordinated navy assist to Ukraine after the Russian invasion in February 2022. Officers informed Fox Information that his involvement in that conflict has made him the US Military’s preeminent knowledgeable on drone warfare.
Throughout the Military, Donahue was seen as one of the crucial seasoned troopers with extra fight expertise than most.
He was additionally regarded as somebody who had the potential to turn out to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees, based on The Related Press.
Donahue’s departure coincides with discussions contained in the Military to downgrade US Military Europe and Africa from a four-star to a three-star command, based on sources who spoke to Fox Information.
This might come after Hegseth informed NATO allies final week he could be main a six-month assessment of American forces in Europe.
“This can be an actual assessment. Will probably be designed to make sure that NATO is shifting quick and irreversibly towards Europe main, stepping as much as take main duty for the protection of Europe,” he informed NATO officers in Brussels.
“It’s a assessment that some international locations will fail and others will go with flying colours.”
The Pentagon and the Military didn’t instantly touch upon Donahue’s exit, which was first reported by The Atlantic.
Donahue will want a presidential waiver to retain his four-star retirement advantages, since he hasn’t had his fourth star for the requisite three years.
