A new wave of turmoil is shaking the Pentagon following the resignation of Dan Driscoll, the Army’s top civilian leader, after months of intense disagreements and personal conflict with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. According to the Financial Times, Driscoll submitted his resignation on Monday to Donald Trump, effectively signaling his opposition to Hegseth’s interference in the largest branch of the U.S. armed forces. According to a source familiar with Driscoll’s views, he believed the Defense Secretary’s decisions were causing “damage that will affect an entire generation” of the U.S. Army.
His assessment is said to be tied to the disagreements that had emerged between the two men over military command decisions and leadership direction. “He had tried in so many different ways and so many times, but it became clear that Hegseth was not willing to listen to facts, truth, or reason, because of his personal animosity,” the source said.
Driscoll’s departure adds to a growing list of internal conflicts at the Pentagon, which is already grappling with sweeping changes in senior military leadership — all while the United States remains engaged in a prolonged conflict with Iran that is straining military capabilities and ammunition stockpiles.
“This is a revealing moment, and I think it shows that the Pentagon is in disarray,” said Tom Wright, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Pentagon: The Hegseth-Driscoll clash over Army leadership
One of the sharpest flashpoints between Driscoll and Hegseth was the removal, last April, of Army Chief of Staff General Randy George. Since the start of Trump’s second term, Hegseth has removed or pushed out roughly two dozen generals and admirals in a sweeping overhaul of military leadership.
Driscoll’s resignation now leaves the Army without a permanent civilian secretary or a permanent chief of staff — two positions that require Senate confirmation.
The leadership vacuum is considered especially critical, as the U.S. Army plays a central role in missile defense through Patriot and THAAD systems, while thousands of American soldiers have been deployed for extended periods across the Middle East.
Christopher Meger, a former senior Pentagon official under the Biden administration, described Driscoll as one of the few senior civilian officials considered “relatively levelheaded,” who enjoyed the trust of the troops and was “actually doing a satisfactory job.”
He added that the absence of a permanent Army secretary and chief of staff “creates a serious leadership vacuum, especially in a time of war.”
The battle over drones and modernization
The disagreements between the two men extended well beyond personnel decisions. Driscoll had emerged as a central figure in the Pentagon’s efforts to develop cheaper drones, counter-unmanned aerial systems technologies, and new missile defense capabilities.
According to a source familiar with his views, Hegseth was attempting to obstruct this transformation process for personal reasons. Under Driscoll, the Army had tasked an infantry battalion with developing and integrating new drone capabilities. Hegseth, however, ultimately ordered that unit to be disbanded.
Driscoll was also seen as a potential successor to Hegseth, should Trump decide to remove the Defense Secretary.
Backlash within the Republican Party
The resignation has sparked concern even within the Republican Party. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he was “disappointed” by Driscoll’s departure. “Where is the leadership? We had some very good generals who are no longer there, generals we respected,” he said.
Hegseth has temporarily placed Lieutenant General Christopher LaNeve, a close ally, in the role of acting Army chief, and is seeking to make the appointment permanent.
However, some Republican senators — angered by the manner in which General George was removed — have already signaled that confirming LaNeve could prove difficult.
A congressional source noted that the resistance “is not about LaNeve himself,” but about Hegseth and the lingering fury on Capitol Hill over how he handled the removal of the previous Army chief.
Driscoll’s resignation is also expected, according to the same source, to create additional headaches for the Pentagon as it seeks congressional approval for a $1.5 trillion budget, as well as tens of billions in supplemental funding for the war with Iran.
Pressure mounts on the Navy as well
The turbulence is not confined to the Army. The Navy is also under significant pressure, both operationally and fiscally. Operations stretching from the Caribbean to Iran have increased naval vessel usage and depleted missile stockpiles. Navy Secretary John Phelan was removed in April, with Trump nominating acting Secretary Hung Cao, a former Navy captain, as his replacement.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a member of the Armed Services Committee, directed her criticism squarely at Hegseth. “Secretary Hegseth is the one who should be resigning, after his mismanagement of military operations in the Middle East and around the world,” she said.
“It is unconscionable for Secretary Hegseth to be purging top military officials at the very moment the U.S. is engaged in an ongoing conflict and security challenges are mounting,” she added.
Trump continues to back Hegseth
Despite mounting pressure from within the Pentagon and from members of Congress, Pete Hegseth continues to enjoy the public support of Donald Trump. When asked about reports that the Defense Secretary was even considering a White House run in 2028, the President offered praise. “He’s done a fantastic job,” Trump said. “Right now, the only thing he loves and the only thing he cares about is the military and taking care of the military.”
Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin, on the other hand, argued that Hegseth operates with “an audience of one — Donald Trump.” “If someone disagrees with him, undermines him, or makes him look weak in any way, he gets rid of them,” she said, adding that the situation at the Pentagon is starting to resemble “a never-ending purge.”
Driscoll himself, however, stopped short of publicly attacking Hegseth in his official resignation statement. He announced that he would step down on Wednesday and noted that he had been privileged “to work on modernizing and accelerating the way the Army mans, trains, and equips the most lethal fighting force in the world.” He also noted that the progress made would not have been possible “without Secretary Hegseth’s support.”
