US Defense Secretary Resigns Amid Tensions with Hegseth

Washington (Agencies): The White House said that U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will step down after 18 months in the role, marking the latest departure of a senior military official from President Donald Trump’s administration. The White House did not cite a reason for Driscoll’s departure, though he is friends with Vice President J.D. Vance. Reports, however, have widely pointed to tensions between him and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Driscoll was expected to resign this year as the top civilian official in the Army, following his disputes with Hegseth, according to prior reporting by The Wall Street Journal.

Last week, Driscoll attended the retirement ceremony of General Chris Donahue at Fort Bragg. Donahue, the highest-ranking U.S. Army officer in Europe, saw his position downgraded by Hegseth, a move that effectively ended his military career. Donahue’s departure was part of a broader initiative led by Hegseth to reduce the total number of generals and admirals by 10 percent and to cut the number of four-star positions by 20 percent.

Several lawmakers expressed concern over Donahue’s departure. Donahue, who previously commanded Delta Force in combat against the Islamic State (ISIS), is highly regarded.

In a statement, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “Secretary Driscoll has been highly effective in advancing President Trump’s agenda to make America strong again within the Department of the Army, by providing distinguished leadership during historic military operations, refocusing on readiness and combat capability, assisting in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more.” She added: “The U.S. Army is stronger than ever thanks to his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretary of Defense.”