He was the last American soldier to board the final aircraft leaving Kabul
When a soldier who was the last to leave Kabul and among the first to stand with Ukraine chooses to step away before his time, it speaks to something deeper than a single career decision. Gen. Chris Donahue's retirement on July 2, following friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is the latest in a series of departures that have thinned the upper ranks of America's military under President Trump's second term. In moments like these, institutions reveal the tensions between the authority of elected governance and the accumulated wisdom of those who have carried its burdens in the field.
- A general widely regarded as a once-in-a-generation leader is walking away from a career that was expected to culminate in the Army's highest uniformed post.
- His departure follows reported clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, adding a human face to what has become a systemic pattern of friction between civilian leadership and senior commanders.
- The exits of the Joint Chiefs chairman, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, and now Donahue are compressing institutional memory at a moment of global instability.
- Donahue's deputy, Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, will assume command July 2, but the Army's terse statement offered no explanation — a silence that speaks volumes to those watching from inside the institution.
- Questions about military-civilian relations and long-term readiness are sharpening as allies and adversaries alike take note of who is — and who is no longer — in the room.
Gen. Chris Donahue, the commander of U.S. Army forces across Europe and Africa, will retire on July 2 after tensions arose between him and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. His exit is another significant blow to senior military leadership during President Trump's second term.
Donahue's career was anything but ordinary. A West Point graduate who commanded Delta Force and later the 82nd Airborne Division, he became a symbol of America's final chapter in Afghanistan — literally the last U.S. soldier to board the plane out of Kabul in August 2021, having orchestrated the security operations that made the evacuation possible. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, he was among the first senior American commanders on the ground in Europe, and military officials credit him with helping Ukraine survive the war's opening months.
Those who served alongside him describe him in terms rarely applied to any officer. Retired Gen. Tony Thomas called him a "generational leader. One of the best ever." Brett McGurk credited him as one of the people most responsible for defeating ISIS. Within military circles, Donahue had been expected to become Army Chief of Staff — making his early departure all the more jarring.
His exit fits a troubling pattern. Since Trump's second term began, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, the Coast Guard commandant, the head of Southern Command, and a senior NATO representative have all departed. The Army released only a brief statement thanking Donahue, offering no explanation — leaving the broader question of institutional stability conspicuously unanswered.
Gen. Chris Donahue, the commander overseeing U.S. Army operations across Europe and Africa, has decided to step down. The retirement, effective July 2, comes after tensions between Donahue and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to multiple people briefed on the situation. His departure marks another significant loss of senior military leadership during President Trump's second term in office.
Donahue is no ordinary officer. A West Point graduate who rose through the special operations ranks, he commanded Delta Force before taking charge of the 82nd Airborne Division. His name became known to the American public in August 2021 when he was the last U.S. soldier to board the final aircraft leaving Kabul, a symbolic moment at the end of America's longest war. He had orchestrated the security operations that made the chaotic evacuation possible, coordinating with thousands of troops to process and move civilians and military personnel through the airport under Taliban watch.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, Donahue was among the first senior American commanders deployed to Europe to work directly with Ukrainian forces. Military officials and policy experts credit him with playing a central role in helping Ukraine survive the opening months of the war—advising commanders, coordinating support, and helping shape the military response that allowed the country to hold. Brett McGurk, who served as the special envoy coordinating the global coalition against ISIS under both the Obama and first Trump administrations, said there were few people more responsible for defeating that terrorist organization than Donahue. Retired Gen. Tony Thomas, who led U.S. Special Operations Command, called him a "generational leader. One of the best ever."
The expectation within military circles had been that Donahue would remain in uniform for several more years, eventually becoming the Army's top officer—the Chief of Staff position. His early departure has shaken some in the military community who viewed him as one of the most capable commanders of his era. A colleague described him as "unequivocally one of our Nation's best," a leader who was both bold and innovative while maintaining the respect of everyone from senior special operations sergeants to junior enlisted soldiers.
Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, Donahue's deputy, will assume command. The Army released a brief statement thanking Donahue for his service but offered no explanation for the retirement.
Donahue's exit is part of a broader reshuffling of military leadership under the Trump administration. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, stepped down in April, along with the Chief of Naval Operations and the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff. The Coast Guard commandant and the head of Southern Command have also departed. Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield was removed from her position as the U.S. military representative to NATO's military committee. Several Army officers leading major commands have also left their posts. The pattern raises questions about the stability of the military institution and the relationship between civilian leadership and the uniformed services.
Citas Notables
There are few people more responsible for the defeat of ISIS than Chris Donahue. He is among the most consequential commanders of his generation.— Brett McGurk, former special presidential envoy to the counter-ISIS coalition
Generational leader. One of the best ever.— Retired Gen. Tony Thomas, former commander of U.S. Special Operations Command
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why would a general of Donahue's stature step down now, when he seemed destined for the top job?
The tension with Hegseth appears to be the breaking point. These aren't small disagreements—they're about direction, priorities, maybe even how the military should operate.
What would cause that kind of clash? They're both on the same team, theoretically.
But they come from different worlds. Donahue built his career in special operations and Ukraine—thinking globally, thinking about alliances. Hegseth has a different vision for the military.
And Donahue just decided it wasn't worth staying?
When you've already done what you set out to do—Afghanistan, Ukraine—and the civilian leadership is pulling in a direction you can't follow, staying becomes a choice about compromise.
Does his leaving matter beyond the military?
It matters because he was trusted. If officers like him are walking away, others are watching. It signals something about the institution itself.