JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Another high-ranking military official is expected to leave the Pentagon. NPR has learned that General Chris Donahue will shortly announce his retirement. That's according to two U.S. officials who were not authorized to speak publicly. The news was first reported by The Atlantic. Donahue oversaw U.S. Army operations across Europe and Africa, and he was the last American soldier to depart Afghanistan after the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces under the Biden administration. NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman is here to tell us more. Hey there.
TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: Hey, Juana.
SUMMERS: So, Tom, just for starters, what do we know about General Donahue?
BOWMAN: Well, he's known as C.D. Very accomplished. West Point grad. A lot of combat time in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria. Five Bronze Stars, including two for valor. He was a member of the secretive and highly trained Delta Force. Also commanded the 82nd Airborne Division. Ran the Army's Infantry School. And while in Europe, he worked with Ukrainian military leaders. So impressive resume. One former Army officer told me he's the best we have.
Now, he was only in his top Army job in Europe for a year and a half. Defense Secretary Hegseth downgraded that job from a four-star job to a three-star - part of the Pentagon's effort to reduce the number of senior officers. So he was a four-star with nowhere to go. The Pentagon did the same, by the way, with the top Air Force job in Europe - dropped it to a three-star command.
SUMMERS: I heard you say that he had nowhere to go as a four-star. I mean, he has such a stellar record, so why not?
BOWMAN: Well, no one I talked with seems to know exactly why. They have some theories. He was, of course, the last soldier out of Afghanistan, ran that security effort at the Kabul airport where 13 service members were killed by a suicide bomber. The Pentagon is now doing an investigation of what it calls, quote, "disastrous and embarrassing withdrawal" and has promised accountability. So could he be faulted in some way in that pending report?
There was an expectation, Juana, he would leave Europe and become the head of the Army Transformation Command or maybe even Army chief of staff, the top job. Army Chief of Staff General Randy George was fired by Hegseth in April with no explanation. Hegseth put in his former military aide, General Chris LaNeve, as the acting chief of staff, but his resume somewhat pales in comparison to Donahue's. Some tell me Hegseth wants his own people, a loyalist in the job.
And finally, Donahue was asked three years ago by reporter Kevin Baron if he thought the Army was woke, which of course is now one of Hegseth's chief complaints. Donahue called charges of wokeism, quote, "B.S.," adding, I don't see it, and candidly, no one really cares about it. So was Hegseth aware of that? Was it a factor? Again, no reason given by the Pentagon about why Donahue didn't get another job or really why any of the top people were removed by Hegseth over the last year and a half, including the second Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first woman to run the Navy. Again, no explanation.
SUMMERS: OK. I know that you've also been looking into officers who were scratched from promotions lists, and you've uncovered a troubling pattern that's emerging. What can you tell us?
BOWMAN: Well, about 60% are female and Black officers who were withdrawn by Secretary Hegseth from promotion lists put forward by the services - 24 in all. Highly unusual once these names go forward. Now lawmakers just added language to the defense bill requiring written justification before promotions can be delayed or withheld.
SUMMERS: NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, thank you.
BOWMAN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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