Trump's envoy: Who is Daniel Driscoll and what role he plays in Ukraine peace talks

Key questions:

• Why did Driscoll join Trump's team?
• What is his background?
• What connects him to US Vice President JD Vance?
• What is Driscoll's reputation in the US?

A new player unexpectedly entered the Ukraine-Russia negotiation process — US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll. Last week, he presented a draft of the new peace plan to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He then joined the talks in Geneva, where the Ukrainian and US delegations revised the plan. Later, Driscoll presented the proposals to the Russian side in Abu Dhabi. This week, he is expected to visit Ukraine again.

Friend of the Vice President

Daniel Driscoll holds a unique position on Trump's team. Although his official title is Army Secretary, he actually reports to the Secretary of Defense and is responsible for organizational and administrative matters within the armed forces. He is also temporarily heading the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

Driscoll has close ties to US Vice President JD Vance. They met while studying at Yale University and have a similar past, which likely contributed to their close friendship.

Like Vance, Driscoll grew up in a small town — Banner Elk, North Carolina. He is a third-generation military man. After earning his bachelor's degree at a local university, he joined the Army. He served in Iraq, where he received the Army Commendation Medal and a Combat Action Badge.

After leaving the military, he used his benefits to enroll at Yale Law School, where he met Vance.

Trump’s Army Secretary

Sources in the New York Post from the administration who have worked with Driscoll describe him as "a charming personality that belies a toughness behind closed doors." This is supported by both his military background and business experience. After graduating from Yale, Driscoll worked at the investment firm BlackArch Partners, which specializes in merger and acquisition consulting for mid-sized companies.

Driscoll’s first political experience was unsuccessful. In 2020, he ran for Congress but failed to even pass the party primaries. However, he later entered politics through a different path. In 2025, Trump, under the patronage of JD Vance, appointed Driscoll as Army Secretary.

In a statement regarding the appointment, Trump described him as a "disruptor and change agent" with experience as a former soldier, investor, and political adviser. Trump emphasized that Driscoll would be a tireless fighter for Americans and the America First agenda.

Unlike his boss, Pete Hegseth, Driscoll stands out for his ability to communicate with members of both parties in Congress — Republicans in power and Democrats in opposition.

In Washington, he is known as a problem-solver, according to sources from the Washington Times. Driscoll is respected within the administration for his tough dealings with defense contractors who have profited from multibillion-dollar contracts for decades.

Role in negotiations

Driscoll was initially scheduled to travel to Ukraine to work on a drone agreement. As RBC-Ukraine reported, the US is interested in Ukraine's experience in this field. Later, however, he was assigned a more serious task: presenting what could become a peace plan.

"Until recently, very few people knew anything about Driscoll. His appearance in the context of the peace process is completely unexpected. It is very strange that someone in his position suddenly becomes a key figure in this process. American observers are also very surprised by this," said Volodymyr Dubovyk, director of the Center for International Studies at Odesa National University, in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.

American media speculate that Driscoll’s appointment may be an attempt to bring new approaches to the negotiation process.

"Maybe the Russians are going to be more willing to be persuaded by someone from the military," a New York Post source close to Trump suggested.

However, it is still too early to assess Driscoll as an effective negotiator, since the process is ongoing.

"We haven’t seen evidence of that yet. But his role could indeed become important in the dynamic situation we are currently observing," Dubovyk noted.

Driscoll is not the only US representative in the talks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for Russia Steve Witkoff likely play more significant roles.

"One scenario is if Rubio can consolidate this process under his control. That would certainly be good for us, not necessarily because of Rubio's views, but at least for some predictability in the process," Dubovyk emphasized.

Ultimately, the outcome will depend on the will of the heads of state. While Ukrainian leadership may be ready to make certain compromises, there is no certainty regarding Russia, nor about the US pressuring Moscow. Without this, all previous rounds of negotiations have ended without results, regardless of the personal composition of the negotiation teams.