Resignation Confirmed
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation to President Trump on Monday, the White House said, departing the Pentagon after repeated tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The White House confirmed the resignation after being asked about a Wall Street Journal report, with Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly declining to deny it.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly praised Driscoll's tenure in a statement, saying he had been "highly effective in advancing President Trump's agenda to Make America Strong Again at the Department of the Army." She cited his "outstanding leadership" during US military operations, "restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, assisting with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more." Kelly added: "The United States Army is more powerful than ever thanks to his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War."
The Pentagon referred questions to the Army, which declined to comment on the resignation. It remains unclear whether the White House has accepted Driscoll's resignation.
Context of Tensions
Driscoll's resignation comes after months of reported friction with Hegseth. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Driscoll had raised concerns with the administration about Army transformation and readiness, specifically Hegseth's decision to fire generals responsible for those efforts. The source said Driscoll "brought up concerns with the administration surrounding Army transformation and readiness and Hegseth's blocking those efforts specifically by firing the generals who were responsible."
One official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Hegseth viewed Driscoll as a threat within the Pentagon bureaucracy and had long wanted to remove him, but Driscoll's ties to Vice President JD Vance made that difficult. Driscoll, a former law school classmate of Vance, had reportedly benefited from their friendship within the administration.
Tensions reportedly intensified after Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George in April. An official said the move caught Driscoll off guard and increased his frustration with Hegseth. Driscoll told lawmakers in April that after George was fired, his family drove to the former general's house and gave him a hug. Hegseth later pushed out the head of US Army forces in Europe and personally blocked the promotion of several senior Army officials.
Impact on Army Leadership
Driscoll's resignation, which comes 18 months after he assumed the post, leaves the Army without a Senate-confirmed leader. Gen. Christopher LaNeve has served as the Army's acting chief of staff after George's firing. The resignation could effectively leave the Army without permanent civilian or uniformed leadership, as the United States remains engaged in a war with Iran, with thousands of Army troops deployed across the Middle East.
Driscoll is the latest senior military leader to depart under the current administration. Gen. Christopher Donahue, the Army's commander in Europe and Africa, left his post in June. The source also said that Dave Fitzgerald, the deputy undersecretary of the Army focused on innovation, was expected to resign; Fitzgerald did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Driscoll's Background and Tenure
Driscoll, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2020 and later advised Trump's 2024 reelection campaign. He was confirmed as Army secretary in February 2025. In his role, he pushed the Army to be more agile in acquiring cheaper weapons and openly criticised major defence contractors. "(The) defense industrial base broadly, and the primes in particular, conned the American people and the Pentagon and the Army," Driscoll said last year, referring to large defense companies.
Driscoll gained prominence outside the Pentagon when Trump selected him to participate in talks between Moscow and Kyiv aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war — an unusual diplomatic role for an Army secretary.
Republican Congressman Pat Harrigan praised Driscoll's service, saying: "Driscoll brought urgency to an institution that cannot afford complacency." Harrigan added: "Dan's service to this country is far from over."