A Civil War Rages Inside the US War Department

The Pentagon’s internal power struggle has intensified as the US military faces the war with Iran in the Middle East. Dan Driscoll, the undersecretary responsible for Army affairs, resigned after months of concealed tension with War Secretary Pete Hegseth.

According to reporting cited by Kathimerini, Driscoll had until recently been viewed as one of the leading candidates to replace Hegseth if President Donald Trump’s tolerance for the embattled secretary ran out. Reuters reported that Driscoll submitted his resignation personally to Trump and briefed him on the situation at the Pentagon and operational problems in the Army.

Trump asked him to remain in his position until the November congressional elections, but Driscoll refused, with reports saying his patience had run out. He is closely linked to Vice President J.D. Vance, whom he has known since their time as students at Yale.

The conflict with Hegseth began in April, when Hegseth dismissed Army Chief of Staff Randy George without informing Driscoll in advance. The vacancy has not been filled, leaving the Army without either a military or civilian leader for an unspecified period. The relationship worsened as senior Army officers were dismissed and Driscoll’s recommendations for other promotions were blocked.

Axios, citing Pentagon officials, reported that Hegseth was deeply suspicious of Driscoll because of his relationship with Vance. Driscoll, a former Army lieutenant who served in Iraq during George W. Bush’s presidency, was also known for maintaining better relations with reporters and for working with congressional Democrats. Trump had further elevated him by assigning him a diplomatic role in talks with Russian and Ukrainian representatives aimed at ending the war. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly praised Driscoll after his resignation, highlighting his efforts to strengthen the Army and his participation in those negotiations.