US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation, source says

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to the White House after months of growing tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by Reuters.

It remains unclear whether the White House has accepted Driscoll’s resignation. His departure would make him the latest senior Pentagon official to leave amid Hegseth’s sweeping personnel changes.

Driscoll, who is considered close to Vice President JD Vance, had reportedly raised concerns with the Trump administration over Army transformation and readiness. The source said he was particularly frustrated by Hegseth’s decision to remove generals involved in those efforts.

The Army declined to comment on the resignation, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly, however, praised Driscoll’s record, saying he had played a key role in advancing President Donald Trump’s defence agenda, strengthening Army readiness and lethality, supporting major military operations and assisting in Russia-Ukraine negotiations.

Tensions with Hegseth

Driscoll, who was confirmed as Army secretary in February 2025, had pushed for the service to become more agile in acquiring cheaper weapons while taking aim at major defence contractors. He previously accused the defence industrial base and major weapons manufacturers of misleading the Pentagon and the American public.

A US official, speaking anonymously, said Hegseth viewed Driscoll as a threat within the Pentagon and had wanted him removed for some time. Driscoll’s relationship with Vance, however, reportedly complicated any effort to push him out.

Driscoll also gained an unusual diplomatic profile for an Army secretary after Trump selected him to participate in negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine aimed at ending the war.

Tensions reportedly intensified in April after Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff General Randy George. The move reportedly caught Driscoll by surprise and deepened his frustration with Hegseth. Driscoll later told lawmakers that his family had visited George at his home after the firing to offer their support.

Hegseth subsequently pushed out the commander of US Army forces in Europe in June and has personally blocked the promotions of several senior Army officials.

Driscoll’s resignation comes as US forces remain heavily engaged in the Middle East, with thousands of Army personnel deployed in the region amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.