Hegseth's push to streamline military leadership makes sense — bloated four-star commands drain resources that should go toward frontline troops. Downgrading U.S. Army Europe and Africa to a three-star command reflects a smart shift toward making NATO allies shoulder more of Europe's defense burden. Cutting redundant senior positions isn't a purge; it's responsible restructuring.
Forcing out Gen. Donahue — one of the Army's most decorated combat leaders and its foremost expert on drone warfare — guts the very expertise needed to deter Russia and modernize the force. Hegseth sidelined a general with bipartisan Senate backing who built NATO's Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative and helped Ukraine survive a full-scale invasion. This isn't reform; it's hollowing out the military's best.
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