Gen. Chris Donahue is the '21st Century Patton' the War Department Needs
Restoring the military to greatness means weeding out the weasels and promoting the republic's heroes. Here's one of the great ones.
As part of Restoration News' investigative series on how President Donald Trump and War Sec. Pete Hegseth are transforming the U.S. military, we've exposed over 110 officers and civilian employees who need to go—and two dozen already have.
Just as important as holding people accountable for poor decisions is recognizing the true leaders of tomorrow. These are men and women who have proven their commitment to American greatness, rejected woke ideologies, and share our vision of a military equipped to fight and win.
At the top of that list is Gen. Chris Donahue. As commander of United States Army Europe and Africa and NATO's Allied Land Command, Donahue is responsible for deterring Russian aggression, formulating strategy for NATO ground forces, and directing operations from the Arctic to the Mediterranean Sea.
Although the general himself could not be reached for comment, Restoration News spoke with individuals who have served with him. All described his service as "legendary." It's a career that began at West Point (1988–1992) and brought him all the way to becoming the last American to exit Afghanistan in 2021.
"If all his accomplishments were listed," explained one soldier who preferred to remain anonymous, "no one in our military could compare or come close."
Another soldier told me, "He lives out and embraces every aspect the Trump administration is trying to establish."
Donahue boarding a C-17 airplane, the last American to leave Afghanistan. Image credit: U.S. Army
A Model of Merit
As a young Ranger, Donahue joined and later commanded Delta Force, leading soldiers at all levels and across three divisions. He deployed more than 20 times in Europe and the Middle East in operations that often involved direct combat with hundreds of ISIS fighters and Russian special forces attempting to conquer an oil facility. Later, he held multiple key positions within and in charge of the U.S. Army Special Forces Operations Command, including a stint as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
From 2020–2021, he commanded the storied 82nd Airborne Division, famed for its deployments in Sicily, the D-Day landings in Normandy, Operation Market Garden, and virtually every war since. No fewer than 14 presidents have trusted the fearsome 82nd Airborne as the United States' first major combat force to arrive when something erupts anywhere in the world.
Most recently, Donahue was assigned to help the Ukrainian army evolve into an effective fighting force, something he achieved with "tremendous success," according to a source close to the general.
In each role, Donahue is remembered for prizing the lethality and ingenuity "that the rest of the Army eventually latched onto."
Another veteran said, "He doesn't think about what can defeat the enemy today. He thinks three or four steps ahead and implements those strategies before it even enters our adversaries' minds."
That's just one of many reasons each source called him the "21st century Patton." Like the greatest field commander of the Second World War, Gen. Chris Donahue's enemies fear him as much as his allies admire him.
Part of a continuing series profiling the heroes who make America's military exceptional. Past profiles include Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn and Indiana Sen. Jim Banks
(READ MORE: We're Winning the Battle to Restore America's Military)
