U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is set to leave his position after serving for 18 months, as announced by the White House on Monday. This departure adds to the list of high-ranking military officials who have exited during the second term of U.S. President Donald Trump. Although the specific reason for Driscoll’s departure was not disclosed, reports suggest tensions between him and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. This marks a series of changes in top military leadership, particularly within the army.
According to White House spokesperson Anna Kelly, Driscoll played a pivotal role in advancing President Trump’s initiatives at the Department of the Army, focusing on enhancing military readiness and effectiveness, facilitating negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and other key efforts. Kelly praised Driscoll for his contributions, stating that the U.S. army has significantly strengthened under his collaboration with the president and the secretary of war.
Earlier this year, Navy Secretary John Phelan became the first military service head to depart during Trump’s second term, following an unexpected announcement from the Pentagon. In April, Hegseth removed Gen. Randy George, the army’s top uniformed leader, from his position, while Gen. Christopher Donahue, the army’s commander in Europe and Africa, also resigned abruptly in June.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who rose swiftly under Hegseth’s leadership, succeeded George as the army’s acting chief of staff. LaNeve made the decision to terminate a drone modernization program previously championed by Driscoll, redirecting an army unit in Europe from drone development back to traditional infantry duties.
Driscoll, an Iraq war veteran and former adviser to Vice-President JD Vance, was praised by Trump as a “disruptor and change agent” when he was nominated in 2024. During his tenure as army secretary, Driscoll played a crucial role in negotiating to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and advocated for streamlining processes for military contractors to swiftly develop drone and anti-drone technologies in response to evolving global warfare trends.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Driscoll in February 2025 with a vote of 66-28, following a committee hearing focused on modernizing army systems, enhancing recruitment practices, and strengthening the military industrial base. Driscoll’s family history of military service influenced his commitment to prioritize the well-being of soldiers. He previously served as an armour officer, with a deployment to Iraq from 2009 to 2010.
In a bid for a North Carolina congressional seat in 2020, Driscoll ran in the Republican primary but secured only about eight percent of the vote among multiple candidates.