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Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down, White House says
NPR • • nation
Key Points:
- Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is resigning after 18 months, marking another high-level military leadership change during the Trump administration amid reported tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- Driscoll, a close ally of former Army Chief Gen. Randy George and Vice President JD Vance, had been praised for advancing military readiness, negotiating in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and supporting drone modernization before recent program rollbacks.
- His departure follows other abrupt Army leadership changes, including the ouster of Gen. George and the resignation of Gen. Christopher Donahue, contributing to concerns about instability and direction within the Pentagon.
- Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers commended Driscoll's leadership and engagement despite policy differences, while some criticized the current military culture under Hegseth for prioritizing loyalty over competence.
- Driscoll, an Iraq war veteran and former tech investor, was confirmed by the Senate in 2025 and was noted for efforts to modernize the Army and streamline military contracting, but his resignation underscores ongoing upheaval in military leadership during Trump's second term.
