US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resigns Amid Conflict With Defense Secretary
By Nardine Saad and Christal Hayes
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation after around 18 months in the role, effective after months of tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The move, confirmed by CBS and reported by the BBC’s US media partner, underscores a growing disconnect between the top civilian commander of the Army and the Pentagon’s defense leadership.
Driscoll, the army’s youngest ever secretary at 41, earned the nickname “drone guy” from former President Donald Trump for his enthusiasm for emerging battlefield technology and his role in Ukraine peace talks. The White House lauds him as “highly effective” for advancing Trump’s agenda of making America strong again and for his “outstanding leadership” during military operations.
While the specific details of the friction remain unclear, reports suggest that Hegseth’s recent wave of dismissals, which has seen more than a dozen senior military officers fired—including the chief of naval operations and the Air Force’s vice‑chief of staff—placed Driscoll in a precarious position. His close ties to Army Chief of Staff Randy George, who was reportedly asked by Hegseth to resign, may have also played a role.
The army secretary position is the top civilian post in the United States Army, overseeing active duty troops, the National Guard, and reserve forces. Driscoll’s resignation follows other high‑profile exits such as Navy Secretary John Phelan, the Army’s chief of staff, and senior generals in the Army and Air Force.
Official statements from the White House, Pentagon and Army remain pending, but analysts anticipate that Hegseth’s reshuffle aims to consolidate control over the military’s civilian leadership amid ongoing policy and operational disagreements.
