United States of America

Top US Army Europe Commander to Exit Early

Is Hegseth's military restructuring a smart streamlining of bloated leadership or a dangerous purge of America's best commanders?

Published JUN 25

Top US Army Europe Commander to Exit Early

Story

Above: General Christopher Donahue, Commanding General of US Army Europe and Africa, at Church House, Westminster, on June 18, 2025. Image credit: Lucy North/Contributor/PA Images/Getty Images

The Spin

Republican narrative

Hegseth's push to streamline military leadership makes sense — bloated four-star commands drain resources that should go toward frontline troops. Downgrading U.S. Army Europe and Africa to a three-star command reflects a smart shift toward making NATO allies shoulder more of Europe's defense burden. Cutting redundant senior positions brings much-needed reform to the military.

Pete Hegseth on X New York Post

Katie Miller on X

Democratic narrative

Forcing out Gen. Donahue — one of the Army's most decorated combat leaders and its foremost expert on drone warfare — guts the very expertise needed to deter Russia and modernize the force. Hegseth sidelined a general with bipartisan Senate backing who built NATO's Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative and helped Ukraine survive a full-scale invasion. Far from reform, this is a purge of the military’s best and brightest.

The Atlantic on X The New York Times

Sam Stein on X