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Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigns amid reported friction with Pete Hegseth

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Official statement Ongoing story
  • Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned and became the latest senior Defense Department official to leave under President Donald Trump.
  • The White House praised Driscoll’s leadership, while reports pointed to friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
  • His departure follows months of turmoil at the Pentagon and the earlier removal or resignation of several senior military leaders.

Dan Driscoll has resigned as U.S. Army secretary after reportedly considering an exit from the Pentagon amid friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The White House confirmed the resignation on Monday, making Driscoll the latest high-profile departure from the Defense Department.

Secretary Driscoll has been highly effective in advancing President Trump’s agenda to Make America Strong Again at the Department of the Army by providing outstanding leadership during historic military operations, restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, assisting with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more.

— Anna KellyThe White House spokesperson praised Driscoll in a statement announcing his resignation.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly praised Driscoll for advancing President Donald Trump’s agenda at the Army. She credited him with leading during military operations, restoring emphasis on readiness and lethality, helping negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and supporting efforts to strengthen military capabilities.

Driscoll held the second-ranking civilian position below the defense secretary. His departure comes after months of turmoil at the Pentagon, including leak investigations, budget problems and the removal of several senior officials. Army Chief of Staff Randy George left in April, while Gen. Christopher Donahue, who commanded U.S. forces in Europe and Africa, stepped down unexpectedly in June.

The United States Army is more powerful than ever thanks to his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War.

— Anna KellyKelly described Driscoll’s contribution to the Army.

Driscoll had been an ally of George and told Congress in April that he and his family visited George after his resignation and “we all gave him a hug”. He added that civilian leaders have the authority to choose the leaders they want under the U.S. system.

We all gave him a hug.

— Dan DriscollDriscoll described visiting former Army Chief of Staff Randy George with his family after George resigned.

A veteran of the Iraq war, Driscoll also worked as a technology investor and advised Vice-President JD Vance, whom he met at Yale Law School. Trump described him in 2024 as “a disruptor and change agent.” The Senate confirmed Driscoll in February 2025 by a 66-28 vote. As Army secretary, he was chosen as a key negotiator in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and pushed to reduce barriers for contractors developing drones and counter-drone systems.

A disruptor and change agent.

— Donald TrumpTrump used the phrase when nominating Driscoll in 2024.
About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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