Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resigns Amid Tensions With Defense Secretary Hegseth
Center-LeftRigor 5516 sources
The Story
President Donald Trump made a secret plea to his departing Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, urging him to remain in his position at least through the midterm elections. Driscoll formally submitted his resignation on Monday, with his last day scheduled for Thursday. People familiar with the conversation told The Washington Post that Driscoll refused Trump's request and warned the president that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was damaging the Army. Publicly, Driscoll credited Hegseth for his role in Army modernization and stated serving as Army secretary was the honor of a lifetime in a post on X. Driscoll and Hegseth had experienced repeated disagreements. Hegseth reportedly fired several Army generals, halted the advancement of other top officers, and obstructed some of Driscoll's Army modernization initiatives. A source told The Financial Times that Driscoll believed Hegseth was inflicting generational damage on the US military. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell dismissed these suggestions as a total fabrication, asserting, "The President has complete trust in Secretary Hegseth, who is doing an incredible job leading the Pentagon." Republican Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) supported Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in advocating for Hegseth's removal, describing Hegseth's leadership as not very good. Tillis urged Trump to replace Hegseth due to inept management and for creating a leadership void by compelling many flag officers into retirement. A New York Times analysis found Hegseth had fired or blocked promotions for over 80 generals and admirals, representing about 10 percent of the military's top officers. Hegseth has publicly expressed his intent to drastically change the Department of Defense and instill a warrior ethos, stating, "We became the woke department. Not any more. We’re done with that s***." Hegseth also drew criticism from Rep. Don Bacon for a demeaning social media post about Canadian cadets. In November 2024, Hegseth stated, "I’m straight-up saying we should not have women in combat roles." Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote for Hegseth's confirmation, marking the smallest margin for a Defense Department nominee since 1947.
The Spread
Left
What they agree on
- Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned, with his last day scheduled for Thursday, amid reported tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- Driscoll reportedly warned President Trump that Hegseth was damaging the Army, despite publicly praising Hegseth in a statement.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been criticized by Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Thom Tillis and Rep. Don Bacon, for his leadership and actions.
- Hegseth has reportedly fired or blocked the promotions of numerous military officers, including over 80 generals and admirals.
- Hegseth has publicly advocated for changes to the Department of Defense, including infusing it with a "warrior ethos" and opposing women in combat roles.
Where they split
- The Daily Beast and The Washington Post (cited by The Daily Beast) focus on President Trump's secret plea to Driscoll to stay and Driscoll's warning about Hegseth, while PBS NewsHour and Fox News emphasize Driscoll's public statement praising Hegseth.
- The Independent and The Financial Times (cited by The Independent) specifically quote a source stating Driscoll believed Hegseth was doing "generational damage" to the military, a direct quote not present in all other coverage.
- Mediaite and HuffPost devote attention to Hegseth's social media post body-shaming Canadian cadets and the resulting criticism from figures like George Clooney and Rep. Don Bacon, a detail less central in other reports.
- Time and CBS News provide a broader list of military and civilian leaders who have been ousted or stepped down under Hegseth's tenure, offering a wider scope of personnel changes.
Source Perspectives
Left6 sources
Center9 sources
Right1 source