Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, attends a ceremony at Sembach Kaserne, Germany, on June 18, 2026. Army officials said Wednesday that Donahue will retire July 2. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)
Gen. Christopher Donahue, the head of U.S. Army Europe and Africa and commander of NATO ground forces, will step down next week, an Army official confirmed Wednesday.
Donahue will be replaced by his deputy, Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, who will serve as USAREUR-AF’s acting commander, the official told Stars and Stripes.
The Atlantic first reported Tuesday that Donahue has already put in his retirement papers. He will leave his post July 2, the Army official said.
The Defense Department did not immediately respond to questions about his retirement.
The exit of Donahue, who has been in command for less than two years at his Wiesbaden headquarters, marks the latest shakeup in the military’s upper ranks.
Concerns that Donahue’s career could be headed for a premature end recently attracted attention in Washington.
Last month, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., issued a statement concerning “rumors” that Pentagon leadership was trying to sideline Donahue and downgrade his headquarters to a three-star command.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “would do well to surround himself with more patriots like General Donahue and to get his henchmen, who are not qualified to carry Donahue’s bag, out of the Pentagon,” Tillis said.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, in a separate statement in May, raised concerns that the earlier firing of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and an early end to Donahue’s career would set back the Army as it moves to adapt to a modern battlefield where drones and artificial intelligence are expected to profoundly change ground warfare tactics.
Army General Christopher Donahue spoke with soldiers during a mass reenlistment ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery in France on June 6, 2026. Donahue, the commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, announced his resignation on Tuesday after reportedly clashing with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He has become the latest in a series of nearly two dozen senior military leaders to leave their positions early during Hegseth’s tenure. (Joe Legros/U.S. Army)
“Regrettably, General George was recently fired and I understand both of these innovating, reform-minded combat veterans are set to retire,” McConnell said, referring to Donahue and V Corps’ Lt. Gen. Curtis Buzzard.
While there is no indication that Donahue was fired, his looming retirement is the latest in a string of changes that have reshaped the military’s senior ranks.
High-profile firings during President Donald Trump’s second term have included the ouster of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. and Navy chief Adm. Lisa Franchetti.
Donahue, a West Point graduate with long stints in some of the Army’s most elite units, has been a major figure in the military for years.
Upon taking command at USAREUR-AF, he was described by his then-boss, Gen. Christopher Cavoli, as “almost like a comic book action hero.”
“Without a doubt, the most experienced warfighter we have in the U.S. Army,” said Cavoli, who was the head of U.S. European Command at the time of the ceremony.
Given the depth of his resume, Donahue could have been viewed as a leading contender to replace George as the Army’s chief of staff.
He commanded at every level in Delta Force, served with the Rangers and commanded the 82nd Airborne Division. He went on to lead XVIII Airborne Corps before taking over the top Army job in Europe.
Since taking charge of USAREUR-AF, Donahue has played a central role in developing new combat tactics that draw on lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine war.
Among the achievements is his role in the development of the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line concept, which involves a shared network of data that enables allies to coordinate a layered NATO defense with low-cost drones and AI-enabled targeting.
Years earlier, Donahue also was key to the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., reacted to the news by saying Donahue has been involved in the military’s “finest moments in recent memory, all the way through to our support of Ukraine.”
Donahue’s ascent to the top Army post in Europe faced political resistance in 2024 when former Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., put a hold on his nomination, drawing criticism from several retired senior commanders at the time.
A famous grainy nighttime photo of Donahue, the last U.S. service member out of Afghanistan in 2021, became associated with the political fight over former President Joe Biden’s messy withdrawal from the country.
Donahue and his contingent of 82nd Airborne paratroopers were brought in during the final phase of the withdrawal to provide added security as the situation in Kabul rapidly deteriorated.
