Driscoll Resigns Amid Pentagon Leadership Upheaval

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned after approximately 18 months in office, in the latest leadership change affecting the Pentagon and the US military. The White House announced his departure but did not provide a reason. Reports have pointed to tensions between Driscoll and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, although a US Army official said Driscoll spoke with President Donald Trump about the state of the army before submitting his resignation. Driscoll, a friend and former adviser to Vice-President JD Vance, was appointed by Trump and confirmed by the Senate in February 2025. An Iraq war veteran, former armour officer, technology investor and unsuccessful congressional candidate, he was described by Trump as a “disruptor and change agent.” As army secretary, he was responsible for presenting Army policies, plans and budgets to the Defense Secretary and Congress. He also played unusual diplomatic and technological roles, including assisting negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war and advocating faster development of drones and counter-drone systems. His departure follows several other senior military changes. Hegseth removed Army Chief of Staff General Randy George in April, while General Christopher Donahue, who led US forces in Europe and Africa, stepped down in June. Driscoll had been an ally of George and publicly expressed regret over his removal. Under acting Army chief General Christopher LaNeve, the Army is reportedly ending a drone modernization effort Driscoll supported. The shake-up comes as the US military remains heavily committed to the war with Iran, which the article says has passed six months. Reports have raised concerns about overstretched personnel, depleted munitions and supply shortages. The USS Abraham Lincoln spent a record 250 days deployed and reportedly faced serious supply and crew mental-health problems. President Trump continued hostile rhetoric toward Iran, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was reported to favor a negotiated solution.

US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll has submitted his resignation after months of reported tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to The Wall Street Journal and Reuters. The White House did not deny the report, although Reuters said it remained unclear whether President Donald Trump’s administration had formally accepted the resignation. The Army declined to comment, while White House spokesperson Anna Kelly praised Driscoll’s leadership and said he had advanced Trump’s agenda by emphasizing military readiness, lethality and Army modernization. Driscoll is the latest senior Pentagon official to depart amid a broader reshaping of the US military leadership under Hegseth. Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Randy George in April, while General Christopher Donahue, who commanded US forces in Europe and Africa, stepped down unexpectedly in June. Navy Secretary John Phelan also left in April, becoming the first head of a US military service to depart during Trump’s second term. Hegseth has removed several other senior generals and admirals. A Reuters source said Driscoll had raised concerns about Army transformation and readiness, including Hegseth’s alleged obstruction of those efforts through the dismissal of senior military leaders. Another US official said Hegseth viewed Driscoll as a bureaucratic threat and had wanted to remove him, but Driscoll’s relationship with Vice President JD Vance made that difficult. George’s firing reportedly intensified Driscoll’s frustration. Confirmed as Army secretary in February 2025, Driscoll promoted more agile acquisition of lower-cost weapons and criticized major defense contractors. He also gained prominence after Trump appointed him to participate in diplomatic discussions with Moscow and Kyiv regarding the war in Ukraine. Driscoll previously served in Iraq and advised Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign after an unsuccessful 2020 congressional run.

Dan Driscoll has resigned as US Army secretary after roughly 18 months in the position, according to reporting by CBS, the BBC’s US media partner. His departure reportedly followed several months of conflict with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, although the precise nature of the disagreement has not been made public. The White House described Driscoll as highly effective in advancing President Donald Trump’s agenda and praised his leadership during military operations. The BBC said it had sought comment from the White House, Pentagon and Army. Driscoll’s resignation is part of a broader pattern of senior military departures since Hegseth took over at the Pentagon. Recent exits include Navy Secretary John Phelan, Army Chief of Staff Randy George, Army Gen David Hodne and Maj Gen William Green. Hegseth has also dismissed more than a dozen senior military officers, including the chief of naval operations and the Air Force vice-chief of staff. CBS reported that Driscoll’s friendship with George may have contributed to tensions, as George was reportedly asked to resign. At 41, Driscoll was the youngest person to serve as Army secretary. He previously served as an Army officer, led a cavalry platoon and deployed to Iraq in 2009. He became known as Trump’s “drone guy” because of his support for emerging battlefield technologies. During his tenure, he participated in diplomatic efforts related to the Russia-Ukraine war, including meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and maintained a close relationship with Vice-President JD Vance. Driscoll also played a prominent role in Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to US cities and served as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is resigning after approximately 18 months in office, the White House announced on Monday. No official reason was provided, although the article notes widely reported tensions between Driscoll and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Driscoll is also a friend and former adviser to Vice-President JD Vance. His departure is the latest in a series of high-level military leadership changes during President Donald Trump’s second administration, with particularly significant upheaval in the Army. Navy Secretary John Phelan left his post in April, Gen. Randy George was abruptly removed as the Army’s top uniformed leader that same month, and Gen. Christopher Donahue stepped down from his command in Europe and Africa in June. The White House praised Driscoll for advancing Trump’s defence agenda, improving military readiness and lethality, supporting negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and contributing to other military operations. Driscoll, an Iraq war veteran, technology investor and former adviser to Vance, had been described by Trump as a “disruptor and change agent.” Driscoll had also advocated reducing regulatory barriers so military contractors could develop drones and counter-drone systems more quickly. However, under acting Army Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the service ended a drone modernization effort that Driscoll had supported. The program involved a Europe-based Army unit developing its own drones before being ordered to return to a conventional infantry role. Driscoll had been an ally of George and publicly expressed disappointment about his removal, while acknowledging that civilian leaders have the authority to select military commanders. The Senate confirmed Driscoll in February 2025 by a 66-28 vote. He previously served as an Army armor officer, including a deployment to Iraq, and unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for a North Carolina congressional seat in 2020.

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is resigning after approximately 18 months in office, the White House announced on Monday. The administration did not provide a reason for his departure, although the article notes that tensions between Driscoll and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have been widely reported. Driscoll is also described as a friend of Vice-President J.D. Vance. The resignation represents the latest change involving senior military leaders during the Trump administration, with particularly significant disruption within the Army. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly praised Driscoll, saying he had effectively advanced President Donald Trump’s agenda by providing leadership during what she called historic military operations, emphasizing readiness and lethality, and helping with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. The statement also credited him with contributing to an Army that was “more powerful than ever.” The Pentagon referred questions about the resignation to the Army. Neither the Army nor Driscoll’s spokesman had immediately responded to requests for comment. The article places Driscoll’s departure within a broader series of Army leadership changes. Hegseth removed the service’s top uniformed officer, General Randy George, in April, while General Christopher Donahue, who commanded Army forces in Europe and Africa, stepped down unexpectedly in June. General Christopher LaNeve, who had rapidly risen under Hegseth, became the Army’s acting chief of staff. Policy differences may also have emerged under the new leadership. The Army is ending a drone modernization program that Driscoll had publicly supported. Officials said an Army unit in Europe had been developing its own drones, but LaNeve ordered it to abandon that effort and return to its traditional role as an infantry battalion. The article presents the resignation as part of continuing uncertainty and upheaval in the Army’s senior leadership and modernization priorities.

Dan Driscoll is resigning as US Army secretary after 18 months in the role, according to the White House. His departure is the latest leadership change affecting the US military during Donald Trump’s administration and follows a period of reported tension between Driscoll and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. The White House did not provide a reason for the resignation, while an unnamed Army official said Driscoll had spoken with Trump about the state of the Army before submitting his resignation. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly praised Driscoll, saying he had advanced Trump’s agenda by providing leadership during military operations, improving the Army’s focus on readiness and lethality, and helping with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. She also credited him with making the Army “more powerful than ever.” The resignation comes amid broader upheaval in Pentagon and Army leadership. In April, Navy Secretary John Phelan became the first head of a military service to leave during Trump’s second term. Hegseth also removed the Army’s top uniformed leader, General Randy George, in April. General Christopher Donahue, who commanded US Army forces in Europe and Africa, stepped down unexpectedly in June. Driscoll’s departure also follows the ouster of an ally and the rollback of a drone programme he had supported. Although the White House characterized his tenure positively, the article places his resignation within a pattern of abrupt leadership changes and reported friction at the Pentagon. No further details about the circumstances of his departure were provided.

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned after repeated clashes with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, leaving the Army without Senate-confirmed leadership as military tensions with Iran continue. Driscoll submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump, according to an unnamed official, and the departure was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly praised Driscoll for providing “outstanding leadership” during military operations, improving readiness and lethality, helping with Russia-Ukraine negotiations and pursuing other reforms. Driscoll’s departure follows Hegseth’s earlier dismissal of Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, a close ally and collaborator. The two leaders had promoted major efforts to modernise the Army, integrate artificial intelligence and prepare for new forms of warfare. Their relationship with Hegseth deteriorated over personnel and control issues. Hegseth reportedly intervened directly in Army affairs and ordered Driscoll to remove senior advisers. Driscoll also resisted efforts to remove certain officers, including women and black officers, from promotion lists. Nominated by Trump and confirmed in 2025 at age 38, Driscoll was the youngest Army secretary and a close friend of Vice-President J.D. Vance. A venture capitalist by background, he sought to manage the Army more like a business during a period of restructuring and budget pressure. He supported cheaper, mass-producible weapons and urged defence companies to develop affordable air-defence interceptors more quickly. Driscoll also attracted attention for helping broker negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and for holding the unusual concurrent role of acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. His resignation is part of a broader pattern of firings and departures in the US military.

U.S. Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to the White House after months of reported tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a source familiar with the matter. It was not immediately clear whether the White House had accepted the resignation. Driscoll, who is considered close to Vice President JD Vance, is the latest senior Pentagon official to be fired or pushed out during Hegseth’s tenure. The resignation comes while the United States remains engaged in a war with Iran and has thousands of Army soldiers deployed in the Middle East. A source said Driscoll had raised concerns about the administration’s approach to Army transformation and readiness, particularly Hegseth’s alleged blocking of those efforts and removal of generals responsible for them. The Army declined to comment, while White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly praised Driscoll’s leadership, citing military operations, readiness, lethality, and his role in Russia-Ukraine negotiations. Dave Fitzgerald, the Army’s deputy undersecretary for innovation, was also expected to resign. Driscoll became Army secretary in February 2025 and advocated for faster acquisition of lower-cost weapons, while criticizing major defense contractors. One official said Hegseth viewed Driscoll as a bureaucratic threat and had wanted to remove him, but Driscoll’s relationship with Vance made that difficult. Driscoll’s profile grew after former President Donald Trump selected him to participate in diplomatic discussions with Moscow and Kyiv. Tensions reportedly intensified after Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Randy George in April, a decision that surprised Driscoll. Hegseth later removed the head of U.S. Army forces in Europe and blocked the promotions of senior Army officials. Republican Congressman Pat Harrigan defended Driscoll’s record, saying he had brought urgency to the Army and that his public service was not over.