- Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has stepped down, with no reason given for his departure, amid widely reported tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- Driscoll's departure follows the ouster of his ally Gen. Randy George and the rollback of a drone program he championed, with Gen. Christopher LaNeve directing a Europe-based unit to end its drone efforts.
- Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, praised Driscoll's work but criticized Hegseth's culture, saying “Secretary Hegseth is cultivating a culture where dissent is punished and competence is secondary to personal allegiance.”
- Rep. Steve Womack, an Arkansas Republican and former Army National Guard member, called Driscoll “a transformative leader who brought common sense and discipline to the Department of the Army.”
- Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat and former Army Ranger, said he worked well with Driscoll despite policy differences, adding “it’s unfortunate that somebody like that can’t last in this administration.”
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has stepped down after 18 months, following a conversation with President Donald Trump about the Army's state.12
No reason was provided for his resignation, but tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have been widely reported.
Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed praised Driscoll for his efforts to transform the Army, stating he engaged with Congress candidly.56
Reed criticized Hegseth's leadership style, saying, “Secretary Hegseth is cultivating a culture where dissent is punished and competence is secondary to personal allegiance.”
Rep. Steve Womack called Driscoll a “transformative leader” who improved the Army's readiness.78
Rep. Jason Crow expressed disappointment that someone with Driscoll's capabilities could not last in the administration, highlighting his intelligence and dedication.9
Driscoll's resignation follows the ouster of allies and the rollback of a drone program he supported.
His tenure included efforts to negotiate peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and streamline military contractor processes.
Driscoll, an Iraq war veteran and former adviser to Vice President JD Vance, was nominated by Trump as a “disruptor and change agent.”
“Driscoll's departure follows the ouster of his ally Gen. Randy George and the rollback of a drone program he championed, with Gen. Christopher LaNeve directing a Europe-based unit to end its efforts. Sen. Jack Reed criticized Hegseth's culture, saying 'dissent is punished and competence is secondary to personal allegiance.'”
The Independent
