US Army secretary Dan Driscoll is expected to step down from his position by the end of 2026, or possibly earlier, following months of tension with US defence secretary Pete Hegseth, according to people familiar with the discussions cited by The Wall Street Journal.A separate report by The Hill also said Driscoll is looking to leave his role around the end of 2026. One source familiar with the discussions told the outlet that Driscoll has previously indicated that 23 to 24 months is the expected tenure of an Army secretary in the Trump administration.Driscoll’s spokesperson declined to comment, while spokespeople for the Pentagon and Driscoll also declined to comment, according to the reports.
Driscoll’s departure could leave Army without Senate-confirmed leader
Driscoll’s departure would leave the Army without a Senate-confirmed secretary. The Army also currently does not have a Senate-confirmed chief of staff.Hegseth fired Gen Randy George as Army chief of staff in April without giving an explanation, and President Donald Trump has not nominated a permanent replacement.Gen Christopher LaNeve, the Army vice chief of staff and a former senior military aide to Hegseth, is serving as acting Army chief of staff.LaNeve has met with senators in recent months, but his confirmation is facing objections from lawmakers in both parties, according to The Hill.The developments would add to changes at senior levels of the Pentagon under Trump’s second administration.
Tensions with Hegseth
Driscoll, a longtime friend and ally of Vice President JD Vance, has been involved in a simmering dispute over influence with Hegseth.According to The Wall Street Journal, tensions emerged early in the Trump administration after Driscoll offered to organise a visit by Vance and Trump to meet soldiers and discuss Army reforms.The tensions also flared after Trump selected Driscoll to negotiate with Ukrainian officials in an effort to help end the Russia-Ukraine war, according to The Hill.Driscoll and George had developed a close working relationship during Driscoll’s tenure. Together, they pushed the Army to adopt new technologies and launched the Army Transformation Initiative, which focused on delivering warfighting capabilities, optimising force structure and eliminating waste and obsolete programmes.The initiative included efforts to integrate drones and artificial intelligence into Army formations.Driscoll also travelled to Ukraine with George and Gen Chris Donahue, then the Army’s top general in Europe, to discuss peace negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Focus on technology and Army modernisation
A former Army Ranger and venture capitalist, Driscoll has pushed the service to improve living conditions for soldiers, modernise equipment and draw lessons from Ukrainian forces on the use of commercial technology in warfare.During his tenure, private companies have pledged to invest more than $25 billion in data centres, critical mineral refineries and dining facilities on Army bases across the US.One source told The Hill that Driscoll had been “aggressive” in securing support from general officers for these initiatives because of his limited expected tenure.Driscoll’s partnership with George ended after Hegseth removed the Army chief in April. The move drew criticism from Republican lawmakers and praise for George.During a congressional hearing, Driscoll called George “an amazing, transformation leader” when asked about his dismissal.
Trump had praised Driscoll
Driscoll received praise from Trump at a defence conference in Pennsylvania last month.“With that beautiful smile, but he’s actually a killer. Look at that beautiful, nice, face. Everything’s so happy. He’s a killer. Would you believe it? Those are the best guys, actually,” Trump said.Driscoll was confirmed by the Senate on February 25, 2025, by a 66-28 vote.Trump had previously nominated Driscoll as Army secretary, describing him as a former soldier, investor and political adviser.Driscoll served with the US Army as a Cavalry Scout Platoon Leader with the 10th Mountain Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom before earning a law degree from Yale Law School.He later worked in venture capital and private equity and served as a senior adviser to Vance.