US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll quits amid reported tensions with Pete Hegseth

Washington,UPDATED: Sep 3, 2026 00:38 IST

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has said Wednesday will be his last full day in office, ending an 18-month stint as the service's civilian leader. In a post on X late on Tuesday, Driscoll did not give a reason for stepping down, though his departure comes amid reported tensions with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and wider churn in the Pentagon's top ranks.

Driscoll, who is seen as close to Vice President JD Vance and has had support from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, spoke with President Donald Trump about the state of the Army before submitting his resignation this week, The Associated Press has reported. His exit also comes as the US military has resumed airstrikes against Iran after a lull in hostilities during the more than six-month-old war.

In his first public remarks since the White House confirmed his departure on Monday, Driscoll wrote that it had been "the honour of a lifetime" to serve as Army secretary under Trump and Hegseth. He praised soldiers, their families and the Army's civilian workforce for helping "modernise and accelerate how the Army mans, trains, and equips the most lethal fighting force on the face of the earth" and added, "We could not have made the progress we did without the support of Secretary Hegseth."

It was not immediately clear who would take over Driscoll's role, even temporarily. His departure leaves the Army without Senate-confirmed civilian or uniformed leadership. In April, Hegseth removed the Army's top uniformed officer, General Randy George, who was considered an ally of Driscoll. General Christopher LaNeve then took over as acting chief of staff and recently ended a drone modernisation programme that Driscoll had backed.

This week, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers wrote to Driscoll and LaNeve, expressing "deep concerns" over the decision to shut the specialised drone unit and seeking a briefing from the Army. As Army secretary, Driscoll had pushed to cut red tape so military contractors could quickly develop more drones and counter-drone systems as warfare changes. Last year, he was also given the unusual role of key negotiator in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly referred to that role in a statement on Monday, saying Driscoll had provided "outstanding leadership during historic military operations, restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality". His resignation drew regret from both parties, while some lawmakers used the moment to criticise Hegseth. "Secretary Hegseth is cultivating a culture where dissent is punished, and competence is secondary to personal allegiance," Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said on Monday.

Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who is retiring and has at times clashed with Trump, urged the president on Wednesday to "find a new leader at the Pentagon who will retain and empower our military talent rather than diminish it". In another post on X, Tillis said, "If we had a @SecWar who maintained the same priorities and forward-thinking, he would be fighting to retain talented leaders like Dan and the many flag officers he has forced into retirement. Instead, he is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks." Besides George, Hegseth has removed more than a dozen senior generals and admirals without explanation since taking office last year. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the criticism over Driscoll's resignation.

Driscoll's departure marks another senior change at the Pentagon, coming at a time of renewed military action abroad and debate in Washington over leadership, readiness and the Army's future direction.

With PTI Inputs

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