Top U.S. Army Commander In Europe To Retire After Pentagon Shakeup

At the time, Donahue commanded the 82nd Airborne Division and oversaw security operations at the airport during the evacuation.

The ISIS-K suicide bombing at Abbey Gate, which killed 13 U.S. service members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians, occurred in an area secured by Marine forces rather than troops under Donahue’s direct command.

Although the Biden administration faced intense criticism over the withdrawal, Donahue received bipartisan praise for overseeing an evacuation that airlifted approximately 124,000 people from Afghanistan.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized former President Joe Biden’s handling of the withdrawal.

In May, Hegseth ordered a new review of the Afghanistan evacuation despite previous investigations conducted by the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, the State Department and Congress.