One of the U.S. military’s top commanders in Europe has been removed from his post weeks before a previously scheduled leadership transition, the Army confirmed Friday.
Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, who has led the Army’s V Corps since April 2024, was relieved of command in recent days, according to an Army spokesperson. The service did not provide details explaining the decision, and the circumstances surrounding his removal remain unclear.
The change comes less than two months before Costanza was already expected to hand over command as part of a planned transition.
According to a source familiar with the matter, Costanza’s removal is not connected to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s broader effort to reshape the military’s senior leadership and was not related to political considerations.
The leadership change nevertheless comes during a period of significant turnover among the Pentagon’s highest-ranking officers. Since Hegseth took office, more than two dozen senior military leaders have been removed from their positions or otherwise sidelined, often without public explanations accompanying those decisions.
Despite the timing, the source said Costanza’s removal should not be viewed as part of that larger effort.
The Army also confirmed that Maj. Gen. Thomas Feltey, who had already been Senate-confirmed to succeed Costanza, remains the designated incoming commander. Feltey had previously been scheduled to assume leadership of V Corps in October as part of the planned transition.
Until that handoff occurs, Brig. Gen. John B. Mountford will serve as acting commanding general.
Mountford currently serves as V Corps’ deputy commanding general for readiness and has assumed the role on an interim basis, according to the Army.
V Corps plays a central role in overseeing U.S. Army forces across Europe and coordinating military operations throughout the region. The headquarters is partially based in Poland and has taken on increased importance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In recent years, the corps has helped coordinate U.S. military support for Ukraine while also overseeing America’s military presence along NATO’s eastern flank.
Its mission has become increasingly significant as the United States and its allies have adjusted troop deployments and military planning in response to the conflict.
The leadership change also comes during a year in which the Pentagon has reduced portions of the American military footprint in Europe.
Among the most notable decisions was the cancellation of a planned deployment of the Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, to Poland.
That move drew criticism in Warsaw after the deployment was called off.
Following that criticism, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would instead position 5,000 troops in Poland.
Costanza, an armor officer, assumed command of V Corps in April 2024 after previously serving as commander of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Throughout his tenure leading V Corps, the organization remained responsible for coordinating U.S. Army operations across Europe during a period marked by continued military activity along NATO’s eastern frontier and ongoing support efforts related to Ukraine.
Although the Army confirmed Costanza’s removal from command, it has not publicly disclosed the reason for the decision. With Feltey already confirmed to become the next V Corps commander in October, Mountford will oversee the corps until the planned leadership transition takes place.
