A senior US general in Europe is set to retire as the US reviews its support for NATO allies. Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of US Army Europe and Africa, will relinquish command on July 2, according to a US Army spokeswoman. Donahue’s exit coincides with the planned decision to lower the required rank for the command’s chief from a four-star general to a three-star general.

Background

Donahue has been a respected figure in the US military, having commanded the Army’s elite Delta Force and served in various other special operations units throughout his career. He has also been rumored as a potential choice to take over as the Army chief of staff. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has recently elevated his former senior military assistant, Gen. Chris LaNeve, to the role in an acting capacity.

There has been tension between Hegseth’s office and Donahue’s command, with some sources suggesting that Donahue has been labeled unfairly as an ally of retired Gen. Mark Milley, who has drawn criticism from President Donald Trump and some conservative figures. Donahue has retained support in the military, particularly among those with special operations backgrounds.

Implications

The change in command comes amid a series of moves by Hegseth to alter the US footprint in Europe. In May, two US deployments to Europe were abruptly cancelled, and the US military is expecting to see another three-star US command, Security Assistance Group-Ukraine, get shut down. Hegseth has also announced a six-month review of US forces in Europe, which some countries may “fail” and others will “pass with flying colors.”

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.