US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll steps down after tensions with Defence Secretary Hegseth

Dan Driscoll is stepping down as US Army Secretary, the White House confirmed Monday, ending an 18-month tenure marked by escalating friction with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The White House offered no explanation for the departure of Driscoll, a close friend of Vice-President J.D. Vance. However, his exit follows widely reported tensions with Hegseth and caps a period of sweeping upheaval in the army's senior ranks.

Latest in military leadership shake-up

The army has witnessed the most dramatic churn among the services under the Trump administration. In April, Hegseth abruptly removed the service's top uniformed leader, General Randy George, and in June the army's commander in Europe and Africa, General Christopher Donahue, unexpectedly resigned.

General Christopher LaNeve, who rose rapidly under Hegseth, now serves as acting chief of staff. Under his leadership, the army is cancelling a drone modernisation programme Driscoll had championed. Officials said this week that an army unit in Europe that had been developing its own drones has been ordered by LaNeve to abandon the project and revert to a traditional infantry battalion.

White House praises Driscoll's record

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly credited Driscoll with advancing "President Trump's agenda to Make America Strong Again" through "outstanding leadership during historic military operations, restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, assisting with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more".

Kelly added that "the United States Army is more powerful than ever thanks to his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War".

The Pentagon directed questions to the US Army, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for Driscoll also did not reply to messages.

Source: South China Morning Post