US Army secretary resigns after explosive clash with Hegseth - WSJ
Photo: US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll (Getty Images)
US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to President Trump following months of tension with Defense Minister Pete Hegseth over the direction of the armed forces and the dismissal of several high-ranking officials. He is expected to leave the Pentagon in the coming days, according to The Wall Street Journal.
What the resignation means for the US Army
Following Driscoll’s departure, the US Army will be left without any Senate-confirmed civilian or military leadership. General Christopher LaNeve has been serving as acting Chief of Staff for some time, ever since Hegseth dismissed his predecessor, General Randy George.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Driscoll had previously planned to leave his post by the end of the year due to his conflict with Hegseth.
Official reaction from the White House
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated that Driscoll had extremely effectively advanced Trump’s agenda of restoring American strength within the Department of the Army. She noted that he provided leadership during historic military operations, restored focus on troop readiness and lethality, and assisted in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
According to her, the US Army is stronger than ever thanks to his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and the Defense Minister.
Context of broader command changes
Last week, Driscoll attended the retirement ceremony for General Chris Donahue at Fort Bragg. Donahue had commanded US forces in Europe until Hegseth demoted him, effectively ending the general’s military career.
Donahue’s sudden departure was presented as part of Hegseth’s broader initiative to reduce the total number of generals and admirals by 10%, and the number of four-star general positions by 20%. However, lawmakers expressed concern over the dismissal of such a highly respected officer who had led Delta Force in battles against the Islamic State.
Some Republicans have also opposed LaNeve’s candidacy for the position of Army Chief of Staff, which is supported by Hegseth. This means he may fail to secure confirmation in the Senate if nominated. Concerns in Congress were further fueled by LaNeve’s recent decision to gradually wind down the operations of a promising drone assault battalion.
Who is Driscoll?
Driscoll is a former law school classmate of Vice President JD Vance and a former Army officer. He established close working relationships with General George, whom Hegseth dismissed from the post of Chief of Staff in April. Together, they promoted the introduction of new technologies in the armed forces and increased adaptability on the battlefield.
Along with Deputy Under Secretary of the Army Dave Fitzgerald, Driscoll also encouraged private companies to invest in the construction of data centers, critical mineral processing plants, and college-style dining halls on military bases. Companies have already promised billions of dollars in investments for these facilities.
Recently, they also announced a partnership with FedEx Dataworks to modernize the military’s internal logistics network. According to a knowledgeable source, Fitzgerald himself, who served alongside Driscoll, also plans to leave his post this week.
RBC-Ukraine has previously written about Driscoll’s role in introducing Ukrainian experience into the US Army. In April of this year, he stated that the US was adopting Ukraine’s approaches to warfare, particularly in the sphere of innovation. However, it became known in August that the US Army was disbanding a special strike drone battalion created specifically based on this experience - a decision that has already drawn criticism from military experts.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine also reported on who Dan Driscoll is and the role he played in negotiations regarding Ukraine.
