Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down, the White House announced Monday, following reports of months of tension and disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The White House praised Driscoll’s record in a statement but did not mention the reported internal disputes. CNN reported that Hegseth viewed Driscoll’s ties to senior administration officials as an effort to bypass the Defense Secretary in decision-making. The report cited multiple unnamed sources familiar with internal Pentagon discussions.
Because of the strained relationship between the two officials, one source told the network that the resignation was not surprising.
Driscoll “spoke to the president about the current state of the Army and submitted his resignation, according to CNN. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said, “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. Disagreements frequently centred on Driscoll’s close relationship with Vice President JD Vance and his direct access to the White House, according to CNN.
