Hegseth Shakeup Ousts Top US Europe Commander

By Staff, Agencies

The top US Army officer in Europe, Gen. CD Donahue, is set to retire early, marking another senior departure in War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s ongoing shake-up of the military’s top ranks, the Financial Times reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Donahue, a four-star general and decorated special forces veteran who played a pivotal role in coordinating US assistance to Ukraine following the outbreak of the war, is expected to announce his retirement on Wednesday.

His departure comes just two months after Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, a move that sources say fueled widespread resentment among uniformed officers across all branches.

The forced retirement coincides with a broader Pentagon review that is expected to downgrade the US European Command’s structure and with President Donald Trump escalating pressure on NATO allies to assume greater responsibility for their own defense and for the war in Ukraine.

West Point graduate Gen. Donahue, a veteran of Iraq, Syria, and other wars, previously commanded US forces in Africa and was the last US soldier to leave Afghanistan in 2021.

Another decorated US general has been removed in War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s ongoing shake-up, with officials citing no public reason.

The move follows broader purges across senior ranks, including top military leaders, amid criticism of the Biden-era Afghanistan withdrawal and concerns within the chain of command over growing instability in leadership.

The House Armed Services Committee has approved a bipartisan measure requiring the Pentagon to notify Congress within five days of firing any senior military officer, along with a written explanation, The Hill reported.

The proposal, led by Rep. Pat Ryan, reflects growing bipartisan concern over transparency in recent military dismissals and would take effect if included in the final National Defense Authorization Act.