Trump Installs Republican Insider Adam Telle as Acting Army Secretary Amid Turmoil
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President Donald Trump has appointed Adam Telle, a longtime Republican operative and corporate-friendly bureaucrat, as acting secretary of the Army following the resignation of Dan Driscoll, who reportedly clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The move comes as the Army faces mounting challenges in the Middle East and ongoing shortages of critical weapon systems.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump continued his pattern of rewarding party loyalists by appointing Adam Telle, the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, as acting secretary of the Army after Dan Driscoll’s departure. Telle, a career Republican operative with deep ties to the GOP establishment and the Trump administration, will now oversee the Army’s civilian leadership, raising concerns about further politicization of the military.
Telle’s resume reads like a who’s who of Republican power players, having spent over two decades working for Republican senators and the Trump White House. His recent oversight of civil works projects—often criticized for prioritizing corporate interests over environmental protections—includes navigation, flood control, and the Clean Water Act. Previously, he served as chief of staff to Sen. Bill Hagerty, a staunch conservative, and worked on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Homeland Security Subcommittee, known for its hardline stances.
"He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all," Trump boasted on Truth Social, continuing his habit of using hyperbolic praise for loyalists.
"Huge congrats to Adam. Strong and whip smart," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X, calling Telle an "immediate asset to the @USArmy," despite concerns about his lack of independent military experience.
Driscoll, an Army veteran with bipartisan ties, gave no public explanation for his resignation, but reports point to internal clashes with Hegseth, highlighting the instability and infighting plaguing Trump’s Pentagon. Driscoll had previously discussed the Army’s troubled state with Trump before stepping down.
This leadership shake-up comes as the Army remains entangled in U.S. military operations in the Middle East, including the conflict with Iran, and struggles with persistent shortages of critical weapons—issues exacerbated by partisan appointments and a lack of accountability at the top.