Amid Tensions With Pete Hegseth, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to Step Down by Year-End: Report

Washington: US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is anticipated to step down from his post by late 2026 or potentially earlier, following months of friction with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, according to people familiar with the discussions cited by The Wall Street Journal.

A separate report by The Hill stated that Driscoll is aiming to exit his role around the end of 2026. A source familiar with the discussions told the publication that Driscoll had previously indicated that 23 to 24 months is the expected tenure of an Army secretary under the Trump administration.

Spokespeople for Driscoll and the Pentagon declined to comment on the matter, according to the reports.

Driscoll's impending departure would leave the Army without a Senate-confirmed secretary, while the service also currently lacks a Senate-confirmed chief of staff.

Pete Hegseth removed Gen Randy George as Army Chief of Staff in April without providing an explanation, and President Donald Trump has yet to nominate a permanent successor.

Gen Christopher LaNeve, the Army Vice Chief of Staff and a former senior military aide to Hegseth, is currently serving as acting Army Chief of Staff. Though LaNeve has engaged with lawmakers in recent months, his confirmation is encountering objections from senators across both parties, according to The Hill.

These administrative changes mark further shifts within the senior leadership of the Pentagon during President Trump's second term.

Driscoll, a longtime associate and ally of Vice President JD Vance, has been involved in an ongoing power struggle with Hegseth.

According to The Wall Street Journal, friction surfaced early in the administration after Driscoll offered to arrange a visit for Vance and Trump to meet soldiers and discuss Army reforms.

Tensions escalated further after Trump selected Driscoll to lead discussions with Ukrainian officials aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to The Hill.

During his tenure, Driscoll formed a close working relationship with George. Together, they urged the military branch to integrate advanced technologies and established the Army Transformation Initiative, which aimed to deliver combat capabilities, streamline force structure, and eliminate waste and obsolete programmes, including integrating drones and artificial intelligence into Army formations.

Driscoll had also travelled to Ukraine alongside George and Gen Chris Donahue, then the top US Army general in Europe, to discuss diplomatic efforts with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

A former Army Ranger and venture capitalist, Driscoll advocated for improved living conditions for personnel, equipment modernisation, and applying insights from Ukrainian forces regarding commercial technology in combat.

Under his leadership, private enterprises pledged to invest over USD 25 billion into data centres, critical mineral refineries, and dining facilities on US Army installations. A source told The Hill that Driscoll had been aggressive in securing support from general officers for these efforts due to his limited expected time in office.

The working relationship between Driscoll and George ended following Hegseth's decision to remove the Army chief in April, a move that drew criticism from Republican lawmakers alongside praise for George's service.

When questioned about the dismissal during a congressional hearing, Driscoll described George as "an amazing, transformation leader".

Driscoll also received praise from Trump during a defence event in Pennsylvania last month.

"With that beautiful smile, but he's actually a killer. Look at that beautiful, nice, face. Everything's so happy. He's a killer. Would you believe it? Those are the best guys, actually," Trump said.

Driscoll was confirmed by the Senate on February 25, 2025, in a 66-28 vote. Trump had previously nominated him as Army secretary, highlighting his background as a former soldier, investor, and political adviser.

Driscoll previously served in the US Army as a Cavalry Scout Platoon Leader with the 10th Mountain Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom before graduating from Yale Law School. He later worked in venture capital and private equity, and served as a senior adviser to Vance. 

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