Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll Resigns After Clashes with Hegseth Over Firings

Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll, the civilian head of the U.S. Army, has resigned following repeated clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over a spate of firings inside the Defense Department, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. The departure marks the latest high-level shakeup at the Pentagon and raises fresh concerns about mounting turmoil within the Trump administration’s national security leadership.

The resignation underscores a bitter power struggle over personnel decisions that have roiled the Department of Defense in recent weeks. Driscoll, a former Army officer and attorney, was appointed to the post less than two years ago and had been the Army’s top civilian official, responsible for oversight of the service’s budget, readiness and long-term strategy.

At the heart of the conflict, officials said, were disagreements over the pace and scope of firings pushed by Hegseth, who took the helm at the Pentagon earlier this year. The Defense Secretary has moved aggressively to remove senior officials and install loyalists, a campaign that has drawn pushback from some service secretaries and uniformed leaders concerned about institutional disruption. Driscoll’s objections, particularly to dismissals of career civilians within the Army department, are said to have led to repeated tense exchanges with Hegseth.

Details of the exact precipitating event that triggered the resignation remain unclear, but the Army secretary’s exit was immediate, a person briefed on the matter said. The Pentagon did not issue a public statement Monday, and a spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately known who will serve as acting Army secretary pending a formal nomination by the White House.

The leadership vacuum adds to instability at the U.S. Department of Defense, which has seen a churn of top officials since the start of the Trump administration. The departure of the U.S. Army’s senior civilian comes as the military services are navigating a complex global security landscape, with ongoing tensions in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East. Prolonged uncertainty at the top can erode morale and slow decision-making on critical procurement and personnel matters.

The White House, which had no immediate comment on the resignation, has consistently backed Hegseth’s overhaul efforts. But the loss of a Senate-confirmed service secretary — one of only three civilian leaders who report directly to the defense secretary — could complicate the administration’s ability to push through further changes without congressional blowback. Lawmakers on the armed services committees are expected to demand explanations once they return from recess.

The Army, the largest and oldest branch of the U.S. military, now faces a critical leadership gap at a time when it is grappling with recruiting shortfalls and modernization programs. The service has relied heavily on its civilian leadership to advocate for resources and guide policy. With Driscoll gone, those responsibilities will fall to an interim appointee, whose authority and longevity are uncertain.

The circumstances surrounding Driscoll’s departure are sure to intensify scrutiny of the Pentagon’s internal culture and the influence wielded by Hegseth, a former Fox News host whose tenure has been marked by controversy over his past comments and management style. As the military community absorbs the news, many are asking whether more resignations could follow, and what the threshold is for other service secretaries who may be silently objecting.