# US Army removes top Europe commander Charles Costanza two months early 2026-08-08T22:16:48+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The US Army has abruptly removed Lt Gen Charles Costanza from his post as commander of V Corps, the Army's key formation in Europe, nearly two months before his planned handover. The service confirmed the decision on Friday but has not given a reason for the early removal. Costanza, who took command in April 2024, oversaw US forces and coordination along NATO's eastern flank, a role that grew after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Brig Gen John B Mountford has stepped in as acting commander. A source told ABC News that Costanza's removal was unrelated to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's wider purge of senior military officers and was not politically motivated. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com - timesnownews.com Tags: Charles Costanza, NATO, Pete Hegseth, US Army, V Corps Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/us-army-removes-top-europe-commander-charles-costanza-two-months-early/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/us-army-removes-top-europe-commander-charles-costanza-two-months-early/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.