Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resigns Amid Reported Tensions with Defense Secretary

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll handed in his resignation to President Donald Trump, according to a White House statement on Monday. The move follows reports of friction between Driscoll and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and comes after a period of instability at the Pentagon that has seen several senior officials depart.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly praised Driscoll’s service, saying he had been “effective in advancing the President’s agenda at the Department of Army” and highlighted his role in readiness, negotiations related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and other initiatives.

The resignation follows a series of disruptions within the defense department, including leak investigations, budget disputes and the removal of Army Chief of Staff Randy George in April. In June, Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of Army forces in Europe and Africa, also stepped down.

Driscoll, an Iraq-war veteran and former tech investor, was confirmed by the Senate in February 2025 with a 66-28 vote. During his tenure he was involved in negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war and advocated for reducing regulatory hurdles for military contractors developing drone and counter-drone technologies.

"That being said, the civilian leadership, the design of our system, is that they get to pick the leaders that they want," Driscoll told Congress in April after visiting the home of former Army Chief of Staff Randy George.

The resignation was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.