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Top Army Gen. Christopher Donahue is suddenly leaving his post
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa and NATO’s Allied Land Command, is unexpectedly stepping down after 18 months, with his deputy Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie taking over temporarily.
- Donahue, known for being the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan in 2021, has received bipartisan praise for his leadership during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country.
- His departure is part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's broader effort to reduce the number of high-ranking generals, emphasizing "less generals, more GIs," and may coincide with plans to downgrade U.S. Army Europe and Africa from a four-star to a three-star command.
- Hegseth recently announced a six-month Pentagon review of U.S. forces in Europe aimed at encouraging NATO allies to take greater responsibility for the continent's defense, signaling potential shifts in U.S. military posture in the region.
- The Pentagon has not yet commented on Donahue's departure, which was first reported by The Atlantic.
