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US Army Secretary steps down following a row with Hegseth
Dan Driscoll, the US Secretary of the Army responsible for the oversight of US land forces, has resigned from his position. This is another high-profile departure from the top ranks of the U.S. Army in recent months.
The Secretary of the Army, responsible for overseeing American land forces, is leaving the Pentagon. Driscoll reportedly informed President Donald Trump of his decision during a personal conversation.
Conflict in Pentagon
The reason for the resignation of Driscoll, who was born in 1986, was said to be a conflict with Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth that had been mounting for months. Notably, this is not the first high-profile departure from the Pentagon recently. It is worth mentioning General Randy George, the Army Chief of Staff, who was dismissed by Hegseth. The dismissal of the Chief of Staff of the United States Army was not the only one at the time – General David Hodne (until recently the commander for army transformation and training) also left his post, as did Major General William Green (the then-Chief of the Army Chaplains Corps). Furthermore, in April this year, the civilian head of the US Navy, Secretary John Phelan, was removed from his position.
The departure of the current Secretary of the Army will likely also lead to the resignation of his deputy, Dave Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was responsible for, among other things, securing private capital for the development of the U.S. Army’s drone programme and individual soldier equipment.
Who will replace Driscoll?
It is worth noting that Driscoll himself repeatedly publicly emphasised the importance of strengthening this component:
„Every person at war will have digital tools. I believe that every US Army soldier will be equipped with a drone which they will take onto the battlefield. Every command will have anti-drones for defence (…) If a swarm of a thousand drones is flying at you, no human mind will analyse it. It will not select a target. That is why digital tools (AI) are needed,” he said in an interview withPolitico. For a time, Driscoll was also involved in negotiations with Ukraine regarding the conclusion of the war with Russia.
„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 with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more,” said the Deputy White House Press Secretary – Anna Kelly.
It is currently unknown who will replace Dan Driscoll. For the time being, his natural successor will be the current Under Secretary of the US Army, Michael Obadal. The final decision on the nomination of the new Secretary will be made by President Trump, and the selection will be confirmed by the Senate. Pete Hegseth will present the recommendation on this matter.
