Trump's top general WALKS OUT of Pentagon as Hegseth moves to gut his command in sweeping purge

By PHILLIP NIETO, US POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 12:51, 24 June 2026 | Updated: 12:52, 24 June 2026 Donald Trump's top Army general has abruptly resigned as Pete Hegseth pushes to demote his command and purge the Pentagon's senior ranks, sidelining top officers with little explanation. General Chris Donahue, 56, will step down as head of US Army operations in Europe and Africa, with his retirement expected to be announced as soon as Wednesday. Donhue is a decorated officer who commanded the Army's elite Delta Force and the famed 82nd Airborne Division and amassed two decades of combat experience. He has long been seen inside the Army as one of its top leaders and a potential future chief of staff.  His departure comes as Hegseth was preparing to downgrade Donahue's post from a four-star command to a three-star one, a source told ABC News. Going from a four-star to a three-star post strips the command of the military's highest rank, signaling reduced prestige and authority.  The effort is apart of Hegseth's broader plan to sideline and purge senior officials within the Pentagon.  Donhue is a decorated officer who commanded the Army's elite Delta Force and the famed 82nd Airborne Division and amassed two decades of combat experience He has long been seen inside the Army as one of its top leaders and a potential future chief of staff The effort is apart of Hegseth's broader plan to sideline and purge senior officials within the Pentagon No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.