A Senate decision has spotlighted the contentious legacy of the Biden administration’s Afghanistan withdrawal. While nearly 1,000 military promotions were approved on Thursday, the advancement of Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue—known for overseeing the 82nd Airborne Division during the chaotic 2021 exit—was conspicuously absent.
Lt. Gen. Donahue, who has been nominated by President Joe Biden for a four-star position leading the U.S. Army in Europe and Africa, finds his promotion stalled in the Senate. According to Politico, the delay suggests a senator has placed a hold on his nomination, though neither the identity of the senator nor their motivations have been publicly disclosed.
Donahue is most recognized as the last U.S. service member to leave Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, an image etched in history as the culmination of America’s 20-year engagement in the region. At the time, Donahue was leading the 82nd Airborne Division and was charged with securing the airfield at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the chaotic withdrawal.
The operation, intended to mark the end of America’s longest war, instead became a symbol of disarray and tragedy. Thirteen U.S. service members were killed in a suicide bombing during the evacuation, which also left scores of Afghan civilians dead. Critics of the withdrawal have highlighted operational failures, lack of preparation, and mismanagement as contributing factors to the disastrous conclusion.
Donahue’s leadership during the withdrawal has come under scrutiny, particularly among conservative lawmakers and analysts, as the fallout continues to shape discussions on military accountability.
While the Senate Armed Services Committee approved Donahue’s nomination earlier in the week, the delay of his promotion signals potential dissent. Under Senate rules, a single senator can place a hold on a nomination, effectively pausing the process. Such a hold can be overridden, but only through a floor vote, which is often a time-intensive procedure.
The timing of this move is critical, as the Senate has entered recess until December. This means any further action on Donahue’s promotion will be postponed, leaving his future uncertain for now.
The stalled promotion also coincides with reports that former President Donald Trump’s transition team is assembling a list of military officials involved in the Afghanistan withdrawal for potential accountability measures.
According to NBC News, the transition team is considering forming a commission to investigate the withdrawal thoroughly. This commission would aim to identify key decision-makers, assess the operational planning and execution of the withdrawal, and determine if senior military leaders could face charges for their roles in the perceived failures.
Such an investigation would reflect Trump’s broader critique of the Biden administration’s handling of the exit and could set a precedent for holding military leaders accountable for strategic decisions with significant consequences.
The hold on Donahue’s promotion reignites debates about military accountability in high-stakes operations. Supporters of the pause argue that the Afghanistan withdrawal represents a failure of leadership that warrants scrutiny. They contend that promoting individuals associated with the operation sends the wrong message about accountability within the military’s ranks.
Conversely, critics of the hold view it as politicizing military promotions, which could undermine the chain of command and morale. They argue that Donahue’s leadership under extraordinarily challenging circumstances should be recognized, rather than penalized for systemic failures beyond his control.
The delay in Donahue’s promotion also underscores broader political divides over military policy and national security. Republicans have consistently criticized the Biden administration’s withdrawal strategy, framing it as emblematic of broader mismanagement. Blocking Donahue’s promotion may be seen as an extension of this critique, signaling a desire to hold not only civilian leaders but also military officials accountable.
For Democrats, the focus remains on emphasizing the difficult decisions required in ending a two-decade-long conflict and ensuring the military’s readiness to address current and future threats.
The halted promotion of Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue serves as a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over the Afghanistan withdrawal and military accountability. As the Senate reconvenes in December, this issue will likely remain in the spotlight, with broader implications for civil-military relations and how the U.S. government navigates the intersection of policy and operational execution.
For now, the question remains: Should military leaders who were tasked with implementing controversial policies bear the brunt of public and political backlash, or does accountability lie elsewhere?
