General Chris Donahue, commander of US Army operations in Europe and Africa, is expected to retire, according to ABC News, which cited a US official familiar with the matter. His retirement could be publicly announced as early as Wednesday.
The reported move comes just 18 months after Donahue assumed the role and amid a broader leadership shake-up at the Pentagon led by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
ABC News also reported that Donahue is expected to hand over command during a formal change-of-command ceremony scheduled for next week.
Veteran commander known for final Afghanistan withdrawal
Donahue, 56, is regarded as one of the Army’s most experienced combat commanders. Over a military career spanning more than two decades, he led the elite Delta Force and served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.
He is widely recognized for overseeing the 82nd Airborne Division during the US military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Donahue became the final American service member to leave the country, with a night-vision photograph showing him boarding a C-17 aircraft becoming one of the defining images of the withdrawal.
The US Department of Defense has preserved that moment on a webpage titled “Last Soldier to Board,” noting that his departure marked the end of the US mission to evacuate American citizens, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants and other vulnerable Afghans.
Exit comes amid Pentagon restructuring
While no official reason has been given for Donahue’s retirement, the reported move comes as Hegseth continues to overhaul the Pentagon’s senior leadership.
According to ABC News, another US official said Hegseth had been preparing to downgrade Donahue’s command from a four-star position to a three-star command, reducing its authority and responsibilities.
The reported retirement also follows claims by The Guardian that Army Chief of Staff General Randy George was asked to step down immediately in April 2026 as part of the administration’s leadership changes.
Donahue had previously been considered a leading contender for future roles including Army chief of staff and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff because of his extensive operational experience.
Neither the Pentagon nor Donahue has publicly commented on the reported retirement.
If confirmed, Donahue would become the latest senior military leader to leave amid Hegseth’s restructuring of the Pentagon.
While reports have linked the timing of his retirement to the ongoing leadership shake-up, no official statement has said the restructuring directly prompted his decision to retire.
