Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump on Monday, bringing an abrupt end to his tenure after months of reported tensions with War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The resignation was first confirmed by a senior US official, while Fox News reported that the White House had not yet formally accepted Driscoll’s resignation as of Monday evening.
An X post from Eric Daugherty quickly circulated the development, noting that Driscoll had submitted his resignation following reported “friction” with Hegseth.
Driscoll is nevertheless expected to leave the Pentagon in the coming days, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal cited by Fox News.
The departure marks another significant leadership change inside the Pentagon during Trump’s second administration.
Driscoll, 38, became the youngest Army secretary in US history after being confirmed in February 2025. Before entering the administration, he served as an Army officer with the 10th Mountain Division and deployed to Iraq.
He later earned a law degree from Yale, worked in venture capital and advised Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
During his time overseeing the Army, Driscoll became closely associated with efforts to modernize the service and rethink how it prepares for future conflicts.
His Army Transformation Initiative emphasized drones, artificial intelligence, procurement changes and lessons drawn from the war in Ukraine. The Army described the initiative as an effort to cut spending on stagnant programs while upgrading equipment and restructuring forces.
Driscoll also took part in the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts involving Russia and Ukraine in late 2025, adding a foreign-policy role to his Pentagon responsibilities.
His resignation comes after months of reports describing disagreements between him and Hegseth over personnel decisions and the direction of Army leadership.
Those tensions became particularly visible in April after Hegseth required Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to take early retirement.
Trending Politics News previously reported that George was among several senior Army officers removed during a wider Pentagon leadership shakeup. shakeup
The outlet also reported that Gen. David Hodne and Maj. Gen. William Green were removed during the same period as Hegseth continued reshaping senior military leadership, per Trending Politics.
The Washington Post reported in April that Driscoll and Hegseth had clashed over several issues, including officer promotions and the treatment of senior Army leaders.
At the time, however, Driscoll publicly rejected speculation that he was preparing to leave.
“Serving under President Trump has been the honor of a lifetime and I remain laser focused on providing America with the strongest land fighting force the world has ever seen,” Driscoll said in April.
“I have no plans to depart or resign as the Secretary of the Army,” he added.
Driscoll also publicly addressed George’s removal during congressional testimony, revealing that he drove directly to the general’s home after learning that George had been asked to submit his retirement paperwork.
“There is no person that has more respect for Gen. George,” Driscoll told lawmakers, describing him as an “amazing, transformational leader.”
Driscoll nevertheless acknowledged the authority civilian Pentagon leadership holds over personnel decisions, saying officials have the ability to select the military leaders they want and that subordinates are expected to execute those decisions.
Republicans and Democrats in Congress later praised Driscoll during an April hearing, with lawmakers raising questions about George’s abrupt removal and the broader turnover within Army leadership.
Driscoll’s resignation adds another vacancy to an Army leadership structure already undergoing substantial change.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve has been serving as acting Army chief of staff following George’s departure, leaving the service without a permanent Senate-confirmed officer in its top military position.
No successor to Driscoll had been announced as of the initial reports surrounding his resignation.
His departure also follows other senior Pentagon personnel changes during Hegseth’s tenure, including the resignation of Navy Secretary John Phelan and the retirement of Gen. Christopher Donahue. Trending Politics News previously reported on Donahue’s departure in June.
Reuters reported that Driscoll’s resignation came amid continuing tensions with Hegseth and noted that Driscoll had pushed aggressively to modernize Army procurement and challenge traditional defense contractors.
The resignation therefore removes one of the Pentagon’s most prominent advocates for rapid Army modernization at a time when the service is simultaneously navigating leadership turnover and ongoing US military operations overseas.
