@jolyonGen. Christopher Donahue has retired after a campaign that lasted over a year, orchestrated by Sec. Hegseth to remove him from consideration for a senior command role within the military structure. The general holds a specific place in history as the final U.S. soldier to depart Afghanistan in 2021, a moment captured when a night-vision photograph of him boarding the last aircraft was distributed widely across media outlets. Despite this background, Sec. Hegseth cited that specific image alongside the Abbey Gate bombing as the primary justification for preventing Donahue from leading U.S. forces in Europe. This decision came despite Donahue possessing more than twenty deployments, his previous command of Delta Force, and his work establishing a U.S. hub that supported Ukraine with drones and new tactics. Allies within the Army and Senate attempted to assign Donahue to an alternative four-star position to keep him active, but these efforts were met with obstruction. Sec. Hegseth blocked meetings regarding this alternative assignment and actively reduced the scope of the Europe post to ensure the outcome. These cumulative actions compelled Donahue to retire from service entirely. The New York Times writers Sol and Michael are the source for this detailed account of how past events were used to override merit.

@jolyonGen. Christopher Donahue has retired after a campaign that lasted over a year, orchestrated by Sec. Hegseth to remove him from consideration for a senior command role within the military structure. The general holds a specific place in history as the final U.S. soldier to depart Afghanistan in 2021, a moment captured when a night-vision photograph of him boarding the last aircraft was distributed widely across media outlets. Despite this background, Sec. Hegseth cited that specific image alongside the Abbey Gate bombing as the primary justification for preventing Donahue from leading U.S. forces in Europe. This decision came despite Donahue possessing more than twenty deployments, his previous command of Delta Force, and his work establishing a U.S. hub that supported Ukraine with drones and new tactics. Allies within the Army and Senate attempted to assign Donahue to an alternative four-star position to keep him active, but these efforts were met with obstruction. Sec. Hegseth blocked meetings regarding this alternative assignment and actively reduced the scope of the Europe post to ensure the outcome. These cumulative actions compelled Donahue to retire from service entirely. The New York Times writers Sol and Michael are the source for this detailed account of how past events were used to override merit.