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Army secretary resigns after clashes with Hegseth as Democrats warn of ‘hollowed-out’ leadership

From The Guardian · () English

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

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll resigned after 18 months in the post, following reported internal clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
  • A senior Senate Democrat accused Hegseth of hollowing out the Army’s senior leadership after senior officers were removed and promotions blocked.
  • The White House praised Driscoll’s work on military readiness, lethality and Russia-Ukraine negotiations, but gave no official reason for his departure.

Daniel Driscoll’s sudden resignation as Army secretary has exposed a growing fight over the Pentagon’s senior leadership, with Democrats warning that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has left the Army’s top ranks “hollowed out.”

hollowed out

— Senior Senate DemocratThe Democrat used the phrase to criticize changes to the Army’s senior leadership under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Driscoll left after 18 months in the job and months of internal clashes with Hegseth. The departure came as thousands of US soldiers remain deployed in the Middle East, adding to the political scrutiny surrounding changes at the Pentagon. No official reason was given for Driscoll’s resignation.

A senior Senate Democrat said Hegseth had removed senior officers and blocked promotions, accusing him of creating a leadership crisis in the Army. The criticism focused on the effects of those personnel decisions on the service’s senior ranks.

highly effective in advancing President Trump’s agenda

— Anna KellyThe White House spokesperson praised Driscoll’s performance in office.

The White House offered a favorable account of Driscoll’s tenure. In a statement on Monday night, spokesperson Anna Kelly said he had been “highly effective in advancing President Trump’s agenda.” She cited his work on “readiness and lethality” and his role in negotiations related to Russia and Ukraine. The statement did not explain why he was leaving.

readiness and lethality

— Anna KellyThe White House cited Driscoll’s work in these areas as part of its praise for his tenure.
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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