- Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned after 18 months in the position, with no official reason provided for his departure.
- In a statement, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly praised Driscoll as 'highly effective' in advancing President Trump's agenda, highlighting his contributions to readiness and lethality.
- Sen. Mike Rounds expressed disappointment over Driscoll's resignation, indicating concerns about the broader turnover of senior military officers under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
- Democrats have warned that the military leadership is being 'hollowed out' following Driscoll's resignation amid ongoing internal clashes with Hegseth.
- In April, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and two other senior officers were fired, which Driscoll later described as a significant loss.
- Driscoll expressed his respect for George, calling him a 'transformational leader', and visited him on the day of his firing.
- Driscoll had significant disagreements with Hegseth regarding the ouster of senior officials and the shutdown of a drone warfare initiative that he championed.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll's resignation follows a series of clashes with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, raising alarms about military leadership stability.13
Senator Mike Rounds expressed disappointment, noting Driscoll's effective leadership and the troubling trend of senior officer turnover, including the ousting of Gen. Randy George and Gen. Chris Donahue.5
Rounds stated, "Where’s the leadership at? We’ve had some very good generals that are no longer there..." He emphasized the need for drone warfare strategies and artificial intelligence integration in military operations, highlighting the importance of adapting to evolving combat scenarios.
Driscoll's departure, after 18 months, adds to a growing list of senior military resignations under Hegseth, including Navy Secretary John Phelan and Southern Command chief Adm. Alvin Holsey.
A senior Senate Democrat criticized Hegseth for creating a culture where dissent is punished and competence is secondary to loyalty.
In a statement, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly praised Driscoll's contributions to military readiness and his role in Russia-Ukraine negotiations, while urging President Trump to address the ongoing turmoil within the Pentagon.
Rounds concluded, "We’ve got real serious issues there that we need to be able to fund and direct..."
“Driscoll, an Iraq War veteran and former adviser to VP Vance, championed a drone warfare initiative that was shut down by acting Army Chief of Staff Christopher LaNeve. Sen. Rounds said the departure was linked to disagreements over firings of senior leaders, including Gen. Randy George and Christopher Donahue.”
theguardian.com
