Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, known as the last American soldier to depart Afghanistan in August 2021, is facing a delayed promotion due to a hold placed by a single Republican senator, according to The Guardian and other outlets.
Donahue, 55, who was nominated by President Biden to lead U.S. Army operations in Europe, did not appear on the Senate Armed Services Committee’s latest list of nearly 1,000 approved military promotions. Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma is reportedly behind the block, though he has not commented publicly on the matter. Military.com reported that the hold was requested by former President Donald Trump’s transition team, citing an unnamed Senate aide.
A Pentagon spokesperson expressed concern over the delay, emphasizing Donahue’s qualifications and the urgency of his appointment. “Lt. Gen. Donahue is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and has served his country for more than 30 years,” the spokesperson said. “His appointment comes at an extremely critical time in the European region. Holds on our nominees undermine our military readiness.”
The controversy comes as the Biden administration continues to face scrutiny over the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which marked the end of a 20-year military presence. The evacuation was marred by tragedy, including a U.S. drone strike that killed 10 Afghan civilians—seven of them children—and a suicide bombing at Kabul airport that claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members and more than 170 Afghans.
Donahue became a symbol of the withdrawal when a night-vision photograph captured him boarding the final military plane out of Kabul.
Mullin, 47, a former plumber and cage fighter who joined Congress in 2013 and won a Senate seat in 2022, has a history of controversial actions regarding Afghanistan. In September 2021, he attempted to enter the country on a private mission to rescue U.S. citizens and Afghan allies as the Taliban seized control.
The delay in Donahue’s promotion coincides with reports that Trump’s incoming team is considering courts-martial for military leaders involved in the evacuation, including accusations of treason.
The standoff over Donahue’s promotion highlights ongoing political tensions over the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, a flashpoint that continues to divide Washington.
