Politics

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation to White House

Driscoll is stepping down after 18 months in office following reported friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Updated Aug 31, 2026 · 23:21 UTC6 reports

The short version

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump after serving 18 months as the top civilian leader of the Army.
Reported behind-the-scenes friction between Driscoll and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth preceded the move, including differences over Army readiness, modernization, and senior officer dismissals.
Driscoll joins a growing list of high-level Pentagon officials and military brass who have exited during the Trump administration.
A successor for the role of Army Secretary has not yet been named.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump, the White House confirmed on August 31, 2026.[Associated Press · The Guardian · CBS News]
Driscoll, who took office after Senate confirmation in February 2025, is a former adviser to Vice President JD Vance and an Iraq War veteran.[Associated Press · The Guardian · CBS News]
Multiple reports indicated long-standing friction between Driscoll and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over leadership decisions, officer promotions, and Army modernization efforts.[Fox News · CBS News · NBC News]
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly released a statement praising Driscoll for advancing the administration's agenda, including his work on military readiness and negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine.[Associated Press · The Guardian · ABC News]
Driscoll's resignation follows earlier high-level departures from the military leadership, including former Navy Secretary John Phelan and former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George.[Associated Press · CBS News · NBC News]

Outlets differed on whether the White House had formally accepted Driscoll's resignation at the time of reporting.[Fox News · NBC News]