Aug. 31, 2026Up to date Sept. 1, 2026, 8:00 a.m. ET
Military Secretary Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump on Aug. 31, the White Home stated, departing after repeated tensions with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
Driscoll’s resignation, which comes 18 months after he assumed the publish, leaves the Military with out a Senate-confirmed chief. Gen. Christopher LaNeve has served because the Military’s appearing chief of workers after Hegseth requested Gen. Randy George to step down from his place in April and instantly retire.
Driscoll is the most recent navy chief to go away his workplace amid a string of exits. Gen. Christopher Donahue, the Military’s commander in Europe and Africa, left his publish in June after Hegseth downgraded his command. Hegseth additionally fired Navy Secretary John Phelan in April.
Reuters, CNN and a number of different retailers reported that Driscoll has repeatedly expressed considerations about readiness within the Military and the elimination of high Military officers, comparable to George.
Driscoll and George grew shut as they collaborated on efforts to modernize the Military, pushing for the adoption of extra know-how because the conflict in Ukraine has ushered in a brand new period of drone warfare. In remarks to lawmakers shortly after George’s ouster, Driscoll heaped reward on his former colleague.
“There isn’t a person who has extra respect for Gen. George,” Driscoll stated throughout a Home Appropriations Protection Subcommittee listening to in April. “He was an incredible transformational chief.”
George established a brand new assault battalion in Europe to check drone and robotic warfare, however his successor, LaNeve, killed the initiative, in line with reporting from the Wall Avenue Journal and CBS Information.
White Home spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated in an announcement that “Secretary Driscoll has been extremely efficient in advancing President Trump’s agenda to Make America Sturdy Once more on the Division of the Military by offering excellent management throughout historic navy operations, restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, aiding with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and extra.”
“The US Military is extra highly effective than ever because of his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of Battle,” Kelly added.
The Wall Avenue Journal, which first reported on Driscoll’s resignation, additionally reported that Dave Fitzgerald, the deputy undersecretary of the Military, is anticipated to resign later this week. The Pentagon referred inquiries to the Military.
Driscoll is a former adviser to Vice President JD Vance. The 2 males turned shut after they have been classmates at Yale Regulation Faculty.
White Home Correspondent Joey Garrison contributed reporting to this story.
