A Republican senator has impeded the advancement of U.S. Army Lieutenant General Christopher Donahue, who led the 82nd Airborne Division during the U.S. exit from Afghanistan and was the final American service member to depart the country in 2021.

An anonymous U.S. official indicated that Senator Markwayne Mullin is responsible for the hold, but he did not provide any comments regarding the reasons behind his decision.

On Monday, the Pentagon confirmed its awareness of the hold on Donahue, who has been nominated by President Joe Biden for a fourth star to oversee U.S. Army operations in Europe and Africa.

“We acknowledge that there is a hold on Lieutenant General Donahue,” stated Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh during a press briefing.

President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters have criticized the military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and pledged to pursue accountability for those involved. In August, Trump announced his intention to demand the resignation of every senior official associated with what he termed the “Afghanistan calamity.”

“You must dismiss individuals when they perform poorly. We never dismiss anyone,” Trump remarked.

According to Reuters, Trump’s transition team is compiling a list of military personnel to be removed, which would represent an extraordinary overhaul at the Pentagon.

While the image of Donahue, with his rifle at his side as he boarded the last C-17 flight out of Afghanistan in August 2021, has become emblematic of the tumultuous withdrawal, he is regarded within military circles as one of the most capable leaders in the Army.

Tony Thomas, the former head of U.S. Special Operations Command, expressed on X that Chris Donahue, whom he regards as the best officer he has ever worked alongside, is a leader of a generation now being utilized for political ends. Having spent over thirty years at the forefront of defending the nation, he is now being treated as a political pawn.

According to Senate regulations, a single senator has the power to delay nominations, even if the remaining 99 are in favor of swift action.