Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigns after 18 months on the job, White House says
Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll arrives for the United States Military Academy commencement ceremony in Michie Stadium at the U.S. Military Academy on May 23, 2026 in West Point, New York. (Credit: Adam Gray/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to President Trump after 18 months on the job, the White House confirmed on Monday.
The move is the latest departure of a senior military official during the Trump administration and follows months of reports of tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The Wall Street Journal was the first outlet to report the news on Monday.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigns
What they're saying:
No reason was given for the departure of Driscoll, who is a friend of Vice President JD Vance.
"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," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement.
"The United States Army is more powerful than ever thanks to his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War," she added.
Other military leaders step down
Big picture view:
Hegseth removed the Army’s top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George, in April. In June, the Army announced that Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, would leave his post. Donahue relinquished command on July 2 after a brief 18-month tenure.
Driscoll, an Iraq War veteran, business investor and former adviser to Vice President JD Vance, met Vance at Yale Law School. When Trump nominated Driscoll in 2024, he described him as "a disruptor and change agent."
As Army secretary, Driscoll also took on the unusual role of helping negotiate efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. He was also a leading advocate for speeding up the Army's acquisition and development of drones and counter-drone technology.
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The Senate confirmed Driscoll in February 2025 by a 66-28 vote. His confirmation hearing focused largely on Army modernization, recruiting and strengthening the defense industrial base.
Driscoll noted that his father and grandfather served in the Army and he vowed to be a secretary focused on the needs of soldiers. According to the Army, Driscoll served as an armor officer from August 2007 to March 2011, deploying to Iraq from October 2009 to July 2010.
The Source: The information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Wall Street Journal. This story was reported from Los Angeles.