US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resigns Amid Tensions with Defense Secretary
4 sources across 4 countries · Hungary · Italy · Spain · Ukraine
Who reported this
- Telex
- ANSA
- El Pais
- Kyiv Independent
What the colours mean
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- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump. The departure follows months of reported friction between Driscoll and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal and CNN, Driscoll will leave the Pentagon in the coming days. His exit leaves the US Army without a Senate confirmed civilian leader at a time when US forces are engaged in multiple fronts, including a conflict with Iran.
Sources indicate that the tension between the two officials stemmed from Hegseth's management of military leadership. Reports suggest Driscoll expressed frustration over the dismissal of several high ranking generals, including Army Chief of Staff Randy George, who was removed in April. Some reports state that Driscoll believed Hegseth was hindering the transformation of the Army by firing the generals responsible for those efforts. One account describes an early confrontation in 2025 where Hegseth reportedly shouted at Driscoll after the Army Secretary proposed organizing a military visit for President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly praised Driscoll's tenure, stating he was highly effective in advancing the agenda to Make America Strong Again. She highlighted his leadership during historic military operations, his focus on readiness and lethality, and his role in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Driscoll, a former Army officer and classmate of Vice President JD Vance, became a central figure in peace talks to end the Russia Ukraine war in late 2025. He previously advocated for closer military cooperation with Ukraine, noting that the US had learned much from Ukrainian innovation.
Driscoll's resignation is part of a broader trend of leadership changes within the Trump administration. Other recent departures include former Army Chief of Staff Randy George, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Additionally, interim Army Under Secretary Dave Fitzgerald is expected to leave his post this week.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- Emphasized the instability of the military leadership and the political risk to Republicans due to the war with Iran.
- Centre
- Highlighted the personal animosity and specific interpersonal conflicts between Driscoll and Hegseth.
Sources
- Centre ANSA: The US Army Secretary has resigned after months of tension with Hegseth
- Centre-left El Pais: The Secretary of the Army of the United States, Dan Driscoll, resigns due to dismissals in the leadership of the Armed Forces
- Centre Kyiv Independent: Trump's Army secretary who backed Ukraine military cooperation resigns, source says
- Centre Telex: The under secretary responsible for US Army affairs has resigned
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.