US Army Secretary resigns amid Pentagon tensions and leadership turnover

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation after about 18 months in the role, according to the supplied report. The departure was confirmed by CBS, which said it followed months of conflict with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. The move adds to a series of senior Pentagon departures under Hegseth and comes during President Donald Trump's second term.

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The White House said Driscoll had been highly effective in advancing the president's agenda at the Department of the Army and had provided outstanding leadership during military operations. The report says Driscoll, 41, was often referred to as Trump's "drone guy" because of his focus on emerging battlefield technologies. It also says he played a role in talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war and was involved in the deployment of the National Guard to US cities.

The resignation is significant because the Army secretary is the top civilian leader of the US Army, overseeing active-duty troops as well as the National Guard and reserve forces. The report says Driscoll is the latest in a string of high-profile departures, including Navy Secretary John Phelan in April and other senior officers who have left or been removed. It also says Hegseth has fired more than a dozen senior military officers, including the chief of naval operations and the Air Force's vice-chief of staff.

What remains unclear is whether the White House has formally accepted the resignation and who will replace Driscoll. The details of the friction between Driscoll and Hegseth have not been made public, although the report says Driscoll was close to Army Chief of Staff Randy George, who was reportedly asked to resign. Further official comment from the White House, the Pentagon and the Army may clarify the timing and implications of the change.

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US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll has reportedly submitted his resignation after months of tension with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. The reported move comes as the White House has not denied questions about the account, according to the supplied report. It would mark another senior personnel change at the Pentagon during President Donald Trump's second term.

The report says the resignation was submitted on Monday, although it remains unclear whether the White House has accepted it. A White House spokeswoman, Anna Kelly, said Driscoll had been highly effective in advancing the president's agenda at the Department of the Army. She said he had provided leadership during military operations, helped restore an emphasis on readiness and lethality, and assisted with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Driscoll is described as being close to Vice President JD Vance. The report also says he is the latest senior official to leave the Pentagon under Hegseth. Earlier departures cited in the same report include Army Chief of Staff Randy George, who was fired in April, and General Christopher Donahue, the Army's commander in Europe and Africa, who stepped down in June.

The reported resignation matters because it adds to a pattern of turnover at the top of the US defence establishment. The Pentagon has already seen several senior military figures removed or leave their posts, including the head of the Navy, according to the report. Such changes can affect continuity in military planning, command relationships and the implementation of defence policy.

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The supplied report places Driscoll's departure in the context of broader changes under Hegseth and the Trump administration. It also highlights the role of the Department of the Army in current military operations and in efforts linked to Russia-Ukraine negotiations. That makes the personnel shift relevant not only inside the Pentagon but also for wider defence and foreign policy management.

What remains unclear is whether Driscoll's resignation has been formally accepted and what immediate replacement process, if any, is under way. The White House has not publicly denied the report, but no final confirmation was provided in the supplied material. The next developments to watch are any official announcement from the administration and whether further senior defence departures follow.

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