US Army Suddenly Removes Top Europe Commander Charles Costanza 2 Months Early
Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza has been removed from his post leading the Army's V Corps, nearly two months before his tenure was set to end naturally. The Army confirmed the removal Friday, though the reasons behind it remain unclear. , World News, Times Now
Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza. Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza had been overseeing the Army's V Corps since April 2024, but his time in that role came to an abrupt end in recent days. A service spokesperson confirmed the removal on Friday, though the Army has not laid out exactly what led to the decision. What makes the timing notable is that Costanza's departure wasn't expected for another two months. His replacement, Maj. Gen. Thomas Feltey, had already been Senate confirmed for a leadership handoff that was originally scheduled to take place in October. Part of a Larger Pattern, or NotCostanza's exit lands in the middle of a much bigger reshuffling happening across the military's senior leadership. More than two dozen high ranking officers have been removed or sidelined under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, often with little to no public explanation given. Still, a source familiar with the situation told ABC News that Costanza's removal has nothing to do with Hegseth's broader shake up of military leadership, and that there's no political angle behind it either. What V Corps Actually DoesV Corps is a critical component of the U. S. Army’s presence and posture in Europe as it commands forces and synchronises operations across the continent. Partially based in Poland, the corps has taken on greater importance since Russia invaded Ukraine, helping manage American support for Kyiv while also maintaining the U. S. military presence along NATO's eastern edge. A Shrinking U. S. Presence in EuropeCostanza's removal comes at a time when the Pentagon has already been scaling back its footprint in Europe. Earlier this year, the department abruptly canceled a planned deployment of the Army's 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, part of the 1st Cavalry Division based at Fort Hood, Texas, which had been set to head to Poland. That decision didn't sit well in Warsaw, and the backlash prompted President Trump to later announce plans to station 5,000 U. S. troops in Poland instead. Costanza's BackgroundCostanza is an armor officer by training. Before taking command of V Corps, he led the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. With Costanza out, Brig. Gen. John B. Mountford, who had been serving as V Corps' deputy commanding general for readiness, has stepped in as acting commanding general, according to the Army. Sagar KarauthorSagar is a journalist with an interest primarily in geopolitics and American domestic politics. Before joining Times Now, he wrote for Republic and Sw. . . View MoreNewsWorld NewsEnd of Article