U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Donahue relinquished command of U.S. Army Europe and Africa in Wiesbaden, Germany, Thursday after an unexpectedly brief 18 months in the role.
The Army has not given a reason for the leadership change. Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie will serve as acting commander until Donahue’s successor is nominated by the Senate and confirmed by the president, according to the Army.
“I love this team — it has been the honor of a lifetime to be a part of it. I’m proud of what we built and I have absolute confidence in what you will build next,” Donahue said. “So, when people ask me, ‘Hey CD, what was it like to be a part of United States Army Europe and Africa?’ I only have to tell them how proud and unbelievably grateful I am to have been a part of the United States Army’s premier warfighting headquarters.”
The West Point graduate previously lead the XVIII Airborne Corps and the 82nd Airborne Division. In 2021, he oversaw the U.S.’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
A night vision photo of the general stepping onto the final C-17 out of Kabul became an emblematic image of the decades-long war.
Donahue’s departure comes amid sweeping leadership changes at the Pentagon. Since assuming office, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed or replaced at least a dozen senior leaders.
Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.