### Promotion of General Symbolizing Afghanistan Withdrawal Stalled by GOP Senator

A Republican senator is delaying the promotion of Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, the last U.S. soldier to depart Afghanistan, according to a Senate aide who confirmed the news to Military.com. Donahue, set to be elevated to a four-star general and to take command of U.S. Army forces in Europe, was conspicuously missing from a recent batch of military promotions approved by the Senate just before the Thanksgiving break.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a Republican from Oklahoma, has placed a "hold" on Donahue's nomination, essentially stalling the process. Mullin's office did not provide a statement about this move when contacted by Military.com.

This action appears linked to Donahue's involvement in the contentious Afghanistan withdrawal, and it follows reports that the Trump transition team had encouraged GOP senators to impose the hold. This stalling tactic is reflective of broader Republican frustration with the handling of the 2021 withdrawal by Biden's administration, despite its roots in an earlier agreement made under the Trump administration.

During the chaotic withdrawal, Donahue, then a two-star general overseeing the 82nd Airborne Division, was responsible for securing Hamid Karzai International Airport amid the rapid evacuation of U.S. forces, Americans, and vulnerable Afghans. The mission, marked by desperation and tragedy, involved an ISIS suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. troops and a failed U.S. airstrike that resulted in 10 civilian casualties.

Lt. Gen. Donahue became widely recognized after an image was released depicting him stepping onto the last aircraft leaving Afghanistan, marking the end of the U.S. military presence there. This prominent role has now made him a focal point for criticism among Republicans, including continuing attacks from former President Trump.

As the Senate heads into a short session before year's end, the hold on Donahue's nomination means that his promotion could require significant floor time, potentially delaying or complicating the approval process further. This situation reflects a shift in Senate norms, where politicized holds on military promotions are becoming more common, as evidenced by last year's extended blockade of general and admiral nominations by Sen. Tommy Tuberville over Pentagon abortion policies.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has indicated that both administrations, Trump's and Biden's, bear responsibility for the chaotic fallout of the Afghan military collapse. The U.S.-Taliban agreement of February 2020 and the subsequent withdrawal announcement in April 2021 were significant factors in the events that unfolded.

The political maneuvering surrounding Donahue’s promotion highlights the ongoing battle lines being drawn over the legacy of the Afghanistan withdrawal and points to the entrenched partisan conflicts within the U.S. Senate over military and defense issues.