Army Secretary Driscoll Resigns After Hegseth Personnel Purge
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned Monday evening after mounting tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a U.S. official who confirmed the departure to ABC News. President Trump accepted the resignation, with White House spokesperson Anna Kelly issuing a statement praising Driscoll as “highly effective” in advancing Trump’s agenda at the Department of the Army.
Driscoll and Hegseth clashed repeatedly since both assumed their positions in 2025, with disagreements centered on military personnel decisions. Hegseth fired or sidelined multiple senior officers eligible for promotion to general rank, actions Driscoll opposed. Most significantly, Hegseth terminated Gen. Randy George, the former Army Chief of Staff, in April without explanation; Driscoll had maintained a close working relationship with George and stated at a congressional hearing that he was unaware of the rationale for George’s removal.
Driscoll held unusual influence within Trump’s administration beyond typical Army Secretary responsibilities. Trump assigned him to lead diplomatic efforts to restart Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations in late 2025, a task outside the normal scope of a service secretary’s duties to train and equip military forces. His diplomatic role placed him at odds with Hegseth’s command of military strategy, creating friction over competing priorities within the Pentagon.
Driscoll had built significant political capital on Capitol Hill and maintained direct White House access through a prior relationship with Vice President JD Vance, whom he met while both attended Yale Law School following Driscoll’s service as a cavalry officer in the 10th Mountain Division. This connection and legislative support distinguished him from other service secretaries and may have contributed to the power struggle with Hegseth over Pentagon direction and personnel decisions.