Top Army General Who Was Last U.s. Soldier To Leave Afghanistan Is Suddenly Leaving His Post

WASHINGTON — The Army’s commandant of its forces successful Europe and Africa — who was famously nan past American worker to time off Afghanistan successful 2021 — is unexpectedly stepping down from his station aft conscionable 18 months successful nan job, nan Army confirmed precocious Tuesday.

Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding wide of U.S. Army Europe and Africa and commandant of NATO’s Allied Land Command, will relinquish his bid connected July 2, according to an Army connection provided to nan Associated Press. He is nan latest successful a statement of astir 2 twelve apical subject leaders to either discontinue aliases depart their jobs early nether nan activity of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has undertaken an effort to bladed nan ranks of nan military’s apical brass pinch nan mantra “less generals, much GIs.”

Donahue’s deputy, Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, will execute his duties successful nan meantime, nan connection added.

A West Point postgraduate and a profession typical operations commander, Donahue commanded Delta Force units successful Iraq and Afghanistan earlier starring nan 82nd Airborne section from July 2020 to March 2022.

It was during that play that he was brought successful to reconstruct information astatine Hamid Karzai International Airport during nan chaotic U.S. withdrawal from nan state successful 2021. On Aug. 30, 2021, Donahue became nan past U.S. worker to depart nan state aft astir 20 years of warfare sparked by nan attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The infinitesimal was documented successful an iconic photograph taken done nighttime imagination goggles that showed nan wide boarding nan past C-17 cargo level to depart nan country.

Hegseth and President Trump had made nan chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan — an cognition that was group successful mobility by a pact negotiated pinch nan Taliban by nan Trump management successful its first word — a regular governmental punching container and nan taxable of a caller Pentagon review.

Last May, Hegseth ordered nan caller introspection of nan withdrawal contempt location having already been aggregate reviews of nan cognition by nan Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, nan State Department and Congress, which person progressive hundreds of interviews and studies of videos, photographs and different footage and data. It’s unclear what circumstantial caller accusation nan caller reappraisal is seeking.

Donahue’s activity during nan removal had nevertheless drawn bipartisan praise. Within nan Army, he was wide seen arsenic a apical serviceman who could person led nan work aliases been chosen to beryllium president of nan Joint Chiefs of Staff.

An Army charismatic who said connected information of anonymity successful bid to talk astir delicate discussions told nan Associated Press that Donahue’s departure comes arsenic nan Army is discussing downgrading U.S. Army Europe and Africa from four-star to a three-star command.

This move would travel amid ongoing disapproval from Hegseth astir European allies.

Last week, Hegseth told NATO friends he would beryllium conducting a six-month Pentagon reappraisal of American forces successful Europe that is “designed to guarantee that NATO is moving accelerated and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to return superior work for nan defense of Europe.”

“It’s a reappraisal that immoderate countries will neglect and others will walk pinch flying colors,” he added.

The Pentagon did not instantly remark connected nan news of Donahue’s departure, which was first reported by The Atlantic.

Toropin writes for nan Associated Press.