Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is set to resign, sources confirm, following a meeting with President Donald Trump where he expressed significant concerns about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's management of the Army. The reported rift highlights dramatic tensions within the Pentagon over leadership and strategic direction.
Driscoll met with President Trump last week and conveyed his reservations about Hegseth's handling of Army transformation and readiness. According to reports, Trump was surprised by the number of senior military leaders reportedly fired or denied promotions under Hegseth's tenure. Driscoll specifically cited Hegseth's actions as a barrier to necessary Army modernization and transformation efforts.
Sources familiar with Driscoll's decision stated that the Army secretary voiced concerns that Hegseth was blocking efforts to transform the Army and that this was being done by removing generals responsible for those initiatives. One defense official suggested that Driscoll's replacement might be a Hegseth loyalist, potentially enabling what they described as "generational damage" to the Pentagon.
The departure of Driscoll, an Iraq war veteran and former tech investor, follows a series of disagreements with Hegseth. These clashes reportedly include Hegseth's moves to block the promotion of several Army officers and the April ouster of Chief of Staff Randy George, who was a key ally of Driscoll's. George's position requires Senate confirmation, and his removal has left the Army without a Senate-confirmed leader, as Trump has not yet nominated a replacement.
Sources also suggested that personality clashes and differing ambitions contributed to the friction. Driscoll was reportedly close with Vice President JD Vance and had privately expressed presidential aspirations, while Hegseth reportedly disliked Driscoll's cultivation of relationships with media and tech executives. Hegseth has denied reports that he is preparing for a 2028 presidential run.
During his time as Army secretary, Driscoll, who was nominated in 2024 and confirmed by the Senate in February 2025, played a role in attempting to negotiate an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine. He was also a proponent of streamlining processes for military contractors to develop advanced drone and counter-drone capabilities.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly issued a statement calling Driscoll "highly effective" and stating he advanced the administration's agenda by providing "outstanding leadership during historic military operations, restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, assisting with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more." Driscoll is expected to officially depart in the coming days, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The conflicts within the Pentagon come amid broader speculation about Hegseth's own position within the administration, with reports suggesting he may have been sidelined. The situation raises questions about the impact of internal disputes on the Army's strength and readiness during a critical period.