In brief
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned after 18 months, following months of friction with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Driscoll, famed for his drone‑driven initiatives and his role in Ukraine talks, was a central figure in Trump’s military agenda. His departure comes amid a string of high‑profile military exits, signaling a period of upheaval at the Pentagon. The resignation highlights deepening tensions between civilian leadership and senior military officers, raising questions about the future direction of US armed forces.
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has stepped down after eighteen months in office, a move confirmed by the BBC’s US partner CBS. The resignation followed a period of strained relations with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose multiple firings of senior officers have been a hallmark of his tenure.
Driscoll, who is 41 and was the smallest Army secretary in history, gained notoriety as President Donald Trump’s “drone guy” for championing emerging battlefield technologies and for his public trips to Ukraine. He was the senior Army adviser during talks aimed at ending the Russia‑Ukraine conflict and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The decision to resign comes after a string of high‑profile exits across the armed forces, including Navy Secretary John Phelan, Army Chief of Staff Randy George, and Generals David Hodne and William Green. Hegseth has dismissed more than a dozen senior officers since taking office, sparking an environment of uncertainty within the Pentagon’s leadership.
In the weeks leading up to his resignation, reports surfaced that Hegseth had asked Driscoll’s close friend, former Army chief of staff George, to step down. The details of the conflict remain opaque, but the tensions highlight the friction between Trump‑appointed civilian leadership and the established military hierarchy.
Driscoll’s role as Army secretary encompassed oversight of active‑duty troops, the National Guard, and reserve soldiers, and he had also served as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives during his tenure. His departure will see the Army’s civilian leadership re-evaluated as the new president tone‑sifts the department’s agenda.
