Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue inspects troops during the “Project Flytrap” military exercises in Lithuania in May 2026. Donahue abruptly retired from the Army in late June. (US Army/Sgt. Nicodemus Taylor)
The Last Soldier to Leave Afghanistan Just Left the Army
Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, who followed his brief but eventful time in Afghanistan as the commander of US Army Europe and Africa, abruptly retired halfway through his expected tenure.
Nearly five years ago, Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue became an iconic symbol of the catastrophic US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The then-commanding officer of the 82nd Airborne Division, Donahue was the subject of a green-tinted photo taken through night vision goggles walking towards a C-17 transport aircraft at the former Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul—becoming the last US soldier to leave Afghan soil and formally bringing America’s 20-year military presence in the country to an end.
Three and a half years later, in December 2024, Donahue was named commanding general of US Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) and commander of NATO’s Allied Land Command, a role he held for the next 18 months.
On Tuesday, however, it was announced that Donahue will retire from the Army and step down from those posts—becoming the latest in a line of top military officials to be abruptly pushed out under the leadership of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth Wants More GIs—and Fewer Generals
Since taking the helm at the Pentagon, Hegseth, a former Army National Guard major better known for his role as a Fox News weekend host, has sought to fundamentally reshape the culture of the Department of Defense (DoD). In particular, this has meant an emphasis on what Hegseth calls a “warrior ethos,” and a move away from the “wokeness” that he claimed existed within the department under the Biden administration.
As part of this effort, Hegseth has thinned the ranks of the US military’s top brass, pushing for “less generals, more GIs,” the Associated Press reported.
In all, Hegseth is thought to have fired or secured the resignations of around two dozen senior military officers and civilian officials. High-profile casualties have included former Army Chief of Staff Randy George and former Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, both of whom took early retirement after reportedly clashing with Hegseth. In addition, Hegseth has repeatedly intervened to block the promotions of other officers on unclear grounds—raising concerns at the Pentagon, as this is typically outside the remit of a Secretary of Defense.
Donahue’s abrupt retirement comes about halfway through the typical span of a USAREUR-AF commander, who typically serves for three years. Donohue’s predecessor in the command, Gen. Darryl Williams, served from June 2022 until December 2024, roughly two and a half years.
Donahue’s former role will be filled by his former deputy, Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie.
“The Army thanks Gen. Donahue for his leadership of US Army Europe and Africa,” an Army spokesperson said.
According to his official bio, Gen. Donahue’s past assignments included serving as commander of the NATO Special Operations Component and US Joint Special Operations in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was also stated to have “led Soldiers at all levels in Airborne, Ranger, Light and Mechanized units, to include service with 3 divisions, the 75th Ranger Regiment and USASOC.” He is a graduate of West Point, the Naval War College, and Harvard University. He was deployed more than 20 times in support of named operations during his military career.
Was Donahue Fired in Retaliation for Afghanistan?
Hegseth has not indicated why Donahue was forced out of the command after 18 months, but there are almost certainly political factors at play. The general was named to the post during the final month of the Biden administration, and had little say in the broader factors that led to the collapse of the US position in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, he became the face of the shambolic US withdrawal.
Last year, Hegseth ordered a new investigation into the pullout, which follows previous probes conducted by the Pentagon, US Central Command, the US State Department, and by lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Although the US withdrawal from Afghanistan had been largely negotiated between the Taliban and the first Trump administration, the Biden administration opted to follow through on the Trump-era timetables, even after it became clear that a collapse was likely. The chaotic withdrawal operation in late August 2021 became a “political punching bag and the subject of a new Pentagon review,” AP explained.
At the time, Donahue received bipartisan praise for his role in the withdrawal, which US lawmakers recognized had been conducted in extremely chaotic circumstances amid the fall of the republican government of Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover. But Hegseth may see it differently.
The bigger consideration is that Donahue’s dismissal also comes days after Hegseth publicly and very vocally criticized America’s European allies for failing to support the campaign against Iran. There are reportedly ongoing discussions within the US Army to downgrade US Army Europe and Africa from a four-star to a three-star command, illustrating its loss of status for the Pentagon’s current leadership; a similar downgrade has already been made for the equivalent Air Force unit.
Trump and Hegseth—along with many of the president’s other allies—remain highly critical of Europe and the US support for NATO. That has led to discussions within the international alliance to cancel its annual summits.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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