Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma just made waves by putting the brakes on Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue’s promotion to lead U.S. Army forces in Europe.
It’s a bold move, but it’s also a well-earned rebuke for one of the military officials at the center of the Biden administration’s catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Mullin, who knows firsthand the chaos and heartbreak of that debacle, isn’t letting this one slide.
For context, Donahue was one of the last boots on the ground during the Afghanistan withdrawal, riding out on the final plane as the Taliban took control. While his supporters in the Pentagon tout his qualifications and experience, let’s not forget the reality: the withdrawal was an unmitigated disaster.
Thirteen American service members died, billions of dollars of U.S. military equipment were handed over to terrorists, and thousands of prisoners—including some with direct ties to terrorism—walked free. Yet, no senior military leader has been held accountable for this abysmal failure. Mullin’s hold on Donahue’s promotion is a direct challenge to this accountability vacuum.
Mullin, who was serving in the House during the withdrawal, has personal skin in the game. He tried to spearhead private efforts to rescue Americans trapped in Afghanistan, only to be stonewalled by the State Department and Pentagon. That experience left him with a front-row seat to the incompetence and bureaucratic dithering that defined the evacuation. His hold isn’t just a protest; it’s a demand for responsibility in a system that seems allergic to it.
Good- More should join -Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue
who oversaw the 82nd Airborne Div during deadly 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan, should not be promoted to general.GOP senator blocks promotion of top general who oversaw Afghanistan withdrawal.https://t.co/fp2DvW9vi0 pic.twitter.com/MtG4VEtOmC
— Blanche Victoria (@tammytabby) November 22, 2024
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump has already pledged to clean house at the Pentagon, vowing to fire senior officers involved in the withdrawal. Compare that to the Biden administration, which didn’t even bother to remove anyone after the dust settled—and by dust, we mean the wreckage of U.S. credibility on the global stage. Mullin’s move aligns with Trump’s vision of a Pentagon led by leaders who prioritize accountability and competence over bureaucratic excuses.
Predictably, the Pentagon is crying foul, claiming that holds like this “undermine military readiness.” But let’s be honest: readiness is already in question when the same people responsible for one of the greatest national security humiliations in modern history are being handed promotions instead of pink slips. If anything undermines readiness, it’s rewarding failure.
This isn’t the first time a Republican senator has wielded this power effectively. Tommy Tuberville’s stand against the Pentagon’s abortion travel policy showed that these holds can force uncomfortable conversations—and sometimes results. Mullin is playing hardball, and given the stakes, it’s about time someone did. If the military wants leaders who inspire confidence, maybe it’s time to stop promoting the architects of failure.
