Gen. Chris Donahue, Commander U.S. Army The company’s operations in Europe and Africa are expected to be decommissioned, ABC News said, citing a U.S. official familiar with the matter. His retirement could be announced publicly as early as Wednesday.
The move reportedly comes just 18 months after Donahue took office and comes amid a broader leadership shake-up at the Pentagon led by the defense secretary Peter Heggs.
ABC News also reported that Donahue is expected to hand over command during a formal change of command ceremony next week.
Veteran commander famous for eventually withdrawing troops from Afghanistan
Donahue, 56, is considered one of the Army’s most experienced combat commanders. During a military career spanning more than two decades, he led the elite Delta Force and served in combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.
He is widely recognized for overseeing the 82nd Airborne Division during the August 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Donahue became the last American service member to leave the country, and a night vision photo showing him aboard a C-17 became one of the defining images of the withdrawal.
Also read: Who is Jacob Reis? J.D. Vance’s longtime chief of staff to leave Trump administration
The U.S. Department of Defense preserved the moment on a web page titled “Last Soldier to Board,” noting that his departure marked the end of the U.S. mission to evacuate U.S. citizens, Afghan special immigrant visa applicants and other vulnerable Afghans.
Exits during Pentagon reorganization
While no official reason was given for Donahue’s retirement, Hegseth is reportedly continuing to revamp the Pentagon’s senior leadership.
According to ABC News, another U.S. official said that Hegseth had been preparing to downgrade Donahue’s command position from a four-star command to a three-star command, reducing his authority and responsibility.
The Guardian reports that Army Chief of Staff General Randy George has been asked to resign immediately in April 2026 as part of a change in government leadership.
Donahue had previously been considered a leading contender for future positions such as Army chief of staff and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff because of his extensive combat experience.
Also read: Did Tulsi Gabbard resign due to family reasons or was she forced to leave? what the report claims
Neither the Pentagon nor Donahue commented publicly on the reported retirement.
If confirmed, Donahue would be the latest senior military leader to depart as Hegseth reorganizes the Pentagon.
While there have been reports that the timing of his retirement is related to ongoing leadership changes, there have been no official statements that the reorganization directly contributed to his decision to retire.
