Military Secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned after about 18 months within the submit, turning into the most recent senior navy official to depart the Trump administration amid a sweeping shake-up of Pentagon management.The White Home confirmed Driscoll’s departure on Monday however gave no cause for his resignation. A US Military official mentioned Driscoll had spoken with President Donald Trump in regards to the state of the Military earlier than submitting his resignation. The Wall Road Journal first reported the event.The transfer comes after months of reported friction between Driscoll and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth. Driscoll, a detailed ally of Vice President JD Vance, had beforehand been seen as a rising determine throughout the administration and, at one level, as a possible different to Hegseth.The White Home, nonetheless, praised Driscoll’s tenure, saying he had helped advance Trump’s defence agenda, strengthen Military readiness and lethality, help navy operations and help with US efforts to barter an finish to the Russia-Ukraine battle, reported AP.Driscoll’s resignation comes towards the backdrop of an unusually turbulent interval for the US Military and the broader Pentagon.In April, Hegseth abruptly eliminated Military Chief of Workers Gen. Randy George, the service’s highest-ranking uniformed officer, together with two different senior generals. No detailed public clarification was given for the removals. Driscoll later described George as a “transformational chief” and informed lawmakers that he and his household had gone to George’s house after his departure.Two months later, Gen Christopher Donahue, who headed US Military Europe and Africa, additionally left his submit after an effort to increase his tenure failed. Donahue had served solely about 18 months within the function and was considered one of many Military’s senior fight leaders.The churn has prolonged past the Military. Navy secretary John Phelan was compelled out in April after reported clashes with Hegseth and his deputy, turning into the primary head of a US navy service to depart throughout Trump’s second time period. Hegseth has additionally eliminated or pushed out quite a few different senior generals and admirals since taking cost of the Pentagon.Driscoll had positioned himself as an advocate of sooner navy modernisation, significantly as low-cost drones and counter-drone expertise reshape warfare.He pushed for slicing bureaucratic delays in defence procurement and inspired navy items to develop and subject new drone capabilities extra rapidly. However a number of the initiatives he championed have since been rolled again.Beneath Gen Christopher LaNeve, who took over because the Military’s performing chief of employees after George’s elimination, the service has moved to finish a drone-modernisation effort that Driscoll had supported.Driscoll additionally took on an uncommon diplomatic function for an Military secretary, turning into concerned within the Trump administration’s efforts to dealer an finish to the Russia-Ukraine battle.An Iraq Conflict veteran and former tech investor, Driscoll served as an Military armour officer earlier than coming into Republican politics and later turning into an adviser to Vance. Trump nominated him in 2024, describing him as a “disruptor and alter agent.” The Senate confirmed him in February 2025.His exit now provides one other main identify to a quickly altering Pentagon management construction underneath Hegseth, with the Military experiencing a number of the most important turnover.
