Washington saw another exit from its top military ranks on Monday, when the White House confirmed that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down after 18 months in the post. No reason was given for the departure.
Driscoll, a friend of Vice President JD Vance, oversaw the Army during a period of frequent leadership turnover. His resignation was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and later confirmed by the administration.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly credited him with advancing the president’s agenda at the Department of the Army. “Secretary Driscoll has been highly effective in advancing President Trump’s agenda to Make America Strong Again,” she said, citing his role in readiness, military operations, and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Reported friction between Driscoll and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been widely documented, though neither the White House nor the Pentagon linked the tensions to his exit. The departure follows a run of shakeups that hit the Army harder than the other services.
Hegseth abruptly removed the Army’s top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George, in April. In June, the Army’s commander in Europe and Africa, Gen. Christopher Donahue, unexpectedly stepped down. Driscoll was seen as an ally of George.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who rose quickly under Hegseth, took over as the Army’s acting chief of staff after George’s removal. Under LaNeve, the service has moved to end a drone modernization program that Driscoll had promoted. Officials said this week that a Europe-based Army unit building its own drones was directed to halt the effort and return to a traditional infantry role.
The exit drew reactions from both parties on Capitol Hill. Driscoll lamented his departure, as did Republican and Democratic lawmakers, several of whom had worked with him during his tenure. His resignation adds to a pattern of high-profile turnover among senior officials in the current administration.
Driscoll spoke at the America 250 celebration at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on June 10, 2025, one of his more visible public appearances in the role. The White House has not named a successor.