U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth walks with Brigadier General John Fleet as he arrives to attend the closing ceremony of PANAMAX 2026, a multinational exercise focused on improving joint operational capabilities, enhancing regional security, and ensuring the protection and free flow of commerce through the Panama Canal, in Panama City, Panama, August 13, 2026. REUTERS/Aris Martinez
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is expected to be gone by the end of the year after he insisted just four months ago he was going nowhere.
Driscoll, a former Army Ranger and close friend of Vice President JD Vance, is expected to step down by year's end, if not sooner, after months of bruising tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing people familiar with the discussions. Spokesmen for the Pentagon and Driscoll declined to comment.
It marked a striking reversal from April, when their feud spilled into public view and Driscoll declared: "I have no plans to depart or resign as the Secretary of the Army."
Hegseth reportedly viewed Driscoll, once floated as his own potential replacement, as a threat, and after the White House told him he couldn't fire the well-connected secretary, he went after Driscoll's allies instead. In April, Hegseth abruptly forced out Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George in a phone call lasting less than a minute, with no explanation, while Driscoll was away in North Carolina.
Over the summer, Driscoll and his family moved out of the stately home reserved for the Army secretary near Arlington and relocated to North Carolina. He moved into a smaller apartment on base.
His exit would leave the Army without a Senate-confirmed leader in the middle of Trump's war with Iran.
The revelation comes after the president sang Driscoll's praises last month.
"With that beautiful smile, but he's actually a killer," Trump said at a defense conference. "He's a killer. Would you believe it? Those are the best guys, actually."