Resignation
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation, the White House confirmed Monday, following reports of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. "Driscoll has been highly effective in advancing President Trump's agenda to Make America Strong Again at the Department of the Army," said White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, citing his "outstanding leadership" during US military operations and "restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality."
A former law school classmate of Vice President JD Vance, Driscoll had reportedly benefited from their friendship within the administration, but clashed with Hegseth. The most senior Democrat on the Senate's Armed Services Committee, Jack Reed, laid the departure's blame at the defense secretary's feet: "I do not welcome Secretary Driscoll's resignation. It is far past time for President Trump to recognize the lasting harm that Pete Hegseth is inflicting on the Department of Defense."
Army without leadership
With the Iran war entering its seventh month, the resignation could effectively leave the Army without permanent civilian or uniformed leadership. Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff General Randy George in April and has yet to nominate a permanent successor. An Army veteran who served in Iraq, Driscoll ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2020 and later advised Trump's 2024 reelection campaign.