Defense Official Pete Hegseth Pressed for Retirement of General Christopher Donahue Over Controversial Photo

Defense official Pete Hegseth, a former Army National Guard officer, pushed for the retirement of four-star General Christopher T. Donahue, who had overseen the final U.S. departure from Afghanistan in August 2021. A photograph taken at Hamid Karzai International Airport moments before the withdrawal deadline, captured by an Army photographer using an iPhone and night-vision equipment, was later widely disseminated in the media. Hegseth reportedly characterized the image as a “selfie” and used it as a primary justification for seeking Donahue’s removal.

The effort drew opposition from senior Department of Defense officials and Republican lawmakers who described Donahue as a key strategist for future U.S. military operations. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Senator Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, both voiced support for retaining the general. According to reports, Driscoll attempted to arrange a meeting between Vice President JD Vance and Donahue, which Hegseth cancelled.

"I don’t care," Hegseth reportedly told his chief of staff, Joe Kasper, after receiving a briefing that clarified the photo was not a selfie and that Donahue was unaware of its distribution.

After internal discussions failed to reverse the decision, Donahue retired quietly at Fort Bragg in late August. Driscoll announced his resignation effective September 2.

The episode highlights internal tensions within the Pentagon over leadership decisions and the influence of personal perceptions on high-level personnel actions.