The commander of U.S. forces in Europe and Africa, Christopher Donahoe, announced his resignation on Thursday, in a move seen as a further indication of Washington's efforts to reduce its defense commitments to the European continent.
This came during a ceremony held at the Klei Kaiserne base in the German city of Wiesbaden, where Donahue handed over the command flag to General Alexus Grinkevich, commander of the US European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO.
General Donahoe, who was seen as one of the rising stars of the U.S. military, is to be succeeded by a lower-ranking general who will serve in an acting capacity until President Donald Trump chooses a successor, according to Bloomberg News.
Former US President Joe Biden nominated Donahue for the position, and he held it for approximately 18 months, a period far shorter than the usual term for holding this position.
Donahoe's sudden decision to resign, which was confirmed by U.S. military officials last week, has sparked speculation about whether there were political motives behind it.
The German news agency reported that the Pentagon declined to comment on the move, but noted that it was in line with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to dismiss a large number of generals appointed during the administration of former President Joe Biden, and to reduce the overall number of senior officers.
A Pentagon official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to discuss internal matters, said Donahoe's decision to retire was a personal one and that he was not forced to leave his post.
General Grinkevich said on Thursday that Donahoe's resignation coincides with the downgrading of the position from a four-star general to a three-star general – meaning his successor may have less authority among his allied commander counterparts, as well as within the United States.
This has raised further concerns among retired U.S. officers and U.S. allies in Europe that President Trump’s administration may have begun to reduce its military presence on the European continent.
Last May, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a decision to withdraw approximately 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany.
This came after President Trump accused European NATO allies of failing to support his operation against Iran and of over-reliance on American military capabilities.
According to US military figures as of mid-April, there are about 86,000 troops stationed in Europe, including 39,000 in Germany.
