US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned due to reported tensions with Hegseth; 3rd major departure from the Pentagon since April | Today’s news

Dan Driscoll, US Secretary of the Army, submitted his resignation to the White House, which accepted it after alleged tensions with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, NBC News reported.

Last week, Driscoll revealed to close government aides that he wants to step down by Labor Day. He visited the White House last week to talk about his future in the administration, according to the publication. However, it was not known what decisions were made at the meeting.

For months, there have been rumors that Driscoll, who is one of the few in the administration well-regarded by both Republicans and Democrats, would leave his post. He has been Secretary of the Army since his appointment in February 2025 and is said to be close to Vice President JD Vance.

Reuters quoted one US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as revealing that Hegseth had long seen Driscoll as a threat to the Washington DC bureaucracy and wanted to get rid of him, but his proximity to the vice president made it a difficult task.

In a rare diplomatic assignment for a US military secretary, Driscoll gained prominence outside his role when US President Donald Trump appointed him to take part in talks with Russia and Ukraine to end the war, which has been ongoing since 2022.

This is the latest high-ranking staff to leave the Ministry of Defense since the war with Iran began on February 28 this year. Earlier in April, John Phelan, the US Secretary of the Navy, and General Randy George, the Army Chief of Staff, were forced out of their positions.

The official Reuters agency reported that after the firing of George, Driscoll was caught off guard, leading to his increased frustration with the Secretary of War.

The Wall Street Journal first reported Driscoll’s resignation.

Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, praised Driscoll in a statement issued Monday, saying, “Secretary Driscoll has been highly effective in advancing President Trump’s agenda to make America strong again at the Department of the Army by providing outstanding leadership during historic military operations, restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, assisting in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more.”

Driscoll has been pushing the US military to be more nimble about buying cheaper weapons. and criticized the big arms manufacturers when he said last year: “(The) defense industrial base in general, and the top ones in particular, have deceived the American people, the Pentagon and the military.”