Driscoll breaks silence after resigning as Army secretary

Dan Driscoll, the U.S. Army secretary, announced that his last full day in the position is Wednesday, but his social media post provided no explanation for his departure after 18 months in the role. Driscoll, a friend of Vice President JD Vance, had cordial relationships with both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. However, tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were well-documented, and some of Driscoll’s allies were removed from their positions this year under President Donald Trump’s Pentagon chief.

Driscoll spoke with Trump about the Army's current state before submitting his resignation. Driscoll praised the soldiers, their families, and the Army’s civilian workforce for their contributions to modernizing and accelerating the Army’s capabilities. He also expressed gratitude for the support of Secretary Hegseth. Driscoll’s exit coincided with the U.S. military resuming airstrikes against Iran, leaving the largest fighting force without top civilian or uniformed leaders confirmed by the Senate.

It was unclear who would temporarily fill Driscoll’s role. Earlier this year, Defense Secretary Hegseth ousted the Army’s top uniformed leader, Gen. Randy George, and Gen. Christopher LaNeve took over as the Army’s acting chief of staff. LaNeve recently halted a drone modernization program that Driscoll had supported. Lawmakers expressed deep concerns over the elimination of the specialized drone unit and requested a briefing from the Army to explain the decision.