Gen. Chris Donahue — the last U.S. soldier photographed leaving Afghanistan in 2021 — is retiring from his role commanding U.S. Army Europe and Africa after reportedly clashing with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Donahue submitted his resignation Tuesday, according to CBS News. His departure is set to take effect in July.
The four-star general becomes the latest high-ranking Pentagon official to head for the exits under Hegseth’s tenure, following Navy Secretary John Phelan, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, and former Army chief of staff Gen. Randy George.
Over two dozen high-ranking Pentagon officials have retired or been ousted under Hegseth’s purview.
Donahue spent over 16 years in special operations command, serving as director of operations of the Joint Special Operations Command. He also served in the 75th Ranger Regiment at all levels, from airborne to ranger to light and mechanized units.
The general has previously said he served in combat at every rank, starting at captain. Between over 20 overseas deployments, Donahue was most famously the last soldier to leave Afghanistan during Operation Freedom’s Sentinel — depicted in the iconic night-vision green photo of the evacuation in August 2021.
He was serving as commander of the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps at the time. Former President Joe Biden tapped him to assume command of Army Europe and Africa in late 2024.
The purge has drawn scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers such as Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who have sparred with Hegseth throughout the second Trump administration.
