Media reports say US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll resigned after months of conflict with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The Wall Street Journal reported Driscoll’s resignation. It was reported to the White House on Monday. White House did not deny.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement that Driscoll had played a “very effective role” in implementing President Donald Trump’s “Make America Strong Again” program within the military.
Kelly also said that Driscoll provided extraordinary leadership during historic military operations. He stressed military readiness and combat capabilities. He helped with Russia-Ukraine negotiations and other issues.
A US official told Reuters that Pete Hegseth had long wanted to remove Driscoll because he saw him as a threat. Hegseth struggled to fire Driscoll due to his closeness to Vise President Vance.
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters it was not yet clear whether the White House had accepted Driscoll’s resignation.
This issue has not been addressed by the US military.
Several senior officials have left the Pentagon under Hegseth, the latest addition to the list being Driscoll, who was a classmate of current US Vice President J.D. Vance.
In April, Defense Secretary Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Randy George. Then in June, General Christopher Donahue, commander of US forces in Europe and Africa, abruptly resigned. Hegseth has removed several other generals and admirals, including the Navy chief.
Driscoll was also in the news outside the military. Trump brought him into talks with Moscow and Kiev to end the war in Russia and Ukraine. It is rare for a military officer to have such a diplomatic role. He also served as an advisor to Trump’s 2024 election campaign.
The Pentagon announced in April that Navy Secretary John Phelan was leaving his post, becoming the first head of any branch of the US military to leave office during President Trump’s second term.
The source told Reuters that Driscoll had raised concerns with the Trump administration about the “transformation and readiness” of the US military, alleging that Hegseth was obstructing these initiatives by firing generals one after another.
Driscoll was confirmed as the Army’s top general in February 2025. After taking office, he took the initiative to quickly and cheaply procure weapons for the Army. He criticized the big arms companies. The US Army Secretary’s responsibility is to train soldiers and provide the necessary equipment for the force.
A US official told Reuters that Pete Hegseth had long wanted to remove Driscoll because he saw him as a threat. Hegseth struggled to fire Driscoll due to his closeness to Vise President Vance.
The official also said that Driscoll was shocked by the firing of Army Chief of Staff Randy George, which further fueled his discontent with Hegseth.
Driscoll was also in the news outside the military. Trump brought him into talks with Moscow and Kiev to end the war in Russia and Ukraine. It is rare for a military officer to have such a diplomatic role. He also served as an advisor to Trump’s 2024 election campaign.