US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resigns Amid Tensions With Hegseth
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned after months of friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the White House confirmed Monday, Aug. 31. During his tenure, he helped the Trump administration lead contacts with Ukrainian and Russian officials aimed at advancing peace talks.
Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth has been accused of "hollowing out" the Army's senior ranks by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll's sudden resignation following months of internal conflict with him. No official reason was provided for Driscoll's departure after 18 months in the role.
Senator Jack Reed, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed alarm at the situation, stating that Trump must acknowledge the harm Hegseth is causing the Department of Defense. He cited Hegseth's firing and blocking of promotions for dozens of senior officers, including Army Chief of Staff General Randy George and half of all four-star generals.
Driscoll had previously praised George as a "transformational leader" and had sought help from friend JD Vance as tensions with Hegseth grew. Since the firing of George and others, Driscoll has faced criticism for moving to scale back a drone unit under his and George's support.
The public rupture began in April when Hegseth removed the Army's Chief of Staff, Gen Randy George, along with two other senior officers. Driscoll had expressed concerns about the army's transformation and readiness, as well as Hegseth's efforts to block these by removing key generals, to White House President Trump.
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