Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation after tension with Hegseth
By Kristen Holmes, Kevin Liptak, Haley Britzky, CNN
(CNN) — Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
One source said the decision was unsurprising given tension between Driscoll and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
An Army official said Driscoll “spoke to the president about the current state of the Army and submitted his resignation.”
“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 spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.
CNN has reached out to the Army for additional comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported on Driscoll’s departure.
The departure of Driscoll, an Army veteran and longtime friend of Vice President JD Vance, comes after months of friction with Hegseth. It also comes six months into the Iran war, which shows no signs of ending.
Earlier this year, Hegseth fired the Army chief of staff, Gen. Randy George, and two other generals. George and Driscoll worked closely together.
Nearly from the beginning of Hegseth’s tenure, multiple sources previously told CNN, the secretary has been distrustful of officials around him — civilian and military alike — and suspicious about their loyalties.
One of the most prominent examples of infighting throughout Hegseth’s tenure has been with Driscoll, often due to the close relationship Driscoll and Vance. CNN has reported that Hegseth has viewed Driscoll’s relationship with the White House as an effort to go around him.
Driscoll and Vance were classmates at Yale Law School and have remained close friends. The young Army secretary also formed his own relationship with Trump, which was apparent when he was tapped by the president last year to help persuade Ukraine to return to the negotiating table for talks with Russia.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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CNN’s Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
