Trump appoints Adam Telle as acting secretary of the Army

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Adam Telle, currently the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, will serve as acting secretary of the Army following the resignation of Dan Driscoll. Telle, a longtime Republican operative who has worked for Senate staff and served in the White House during Trump’s first term, previously led the Army Corps of Engineers’ civil works office.

"He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all," Trump wrote on his social platform.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also praised the appointment, stating:

"Huge congrats to Adam. Strong and whip smart. He is indeed a great Patriot — and will be an immediate asset to the US Army."

Driscoll did not provide a public reason for his departure, though reports have linked his exit to ongoing disputes with Hegseth. The former secretary, an Army veteran with service in Iraq, had previously been described as having bipartisan relationships in Congress.

Telle’s background includes more than two decades of experience on Capitol Hill, including chief of staff roles for Republican senators and work on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Homeland Security Subcommittee. In his civil works position, he dealt with commercial navigation, flood mitigation and Clean Water Act permitting, and has spoken publicly about major flood control projects.

The appointment comes as the Army continues operations related to the conflict with Iran and maintains a significant presence in the Middle East, amid concerns about shortages of key missile defense systems.