The departure leaves the US Army without Senate-confirmed leadership
US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll has decided to step down following months of friction with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. He is expected to leave the Pentagon in the coming days. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine (Катерина Коваль) citing The Wall Street Journal, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
Disagreements between Driscoll and Hegseth had escalated over the recent months. The primary points of contention included the strategic direction of the armed forces and the sweeping dismissal of high-ranking military officials.
Following Driscoll’s official resignation, the US Army will remain without any civilian or military leaders confirmed by the Senate. Currently, General Christopher LaNeve serves as the acting chief of staff, although his nomination faces opposition from Republicans in Congress.
Command changes impact
Tensions within the defense sector were further heightened following the demotion of General Chris Donahue. This move was part of Hegseth’s broader initiative to reduce the number of generals and admirals by 10%, and the number of four-star general positions by 20%.
Lawmakers have expressed alarm over these personnel decisions, particularly regarding the shutdown of a promising drone assault battalion initiated by LaNeve. Congressional concern could jeopardize the confirmation of a new chief of staff.
Investments and technology
Dan Driscoll, a former officer and law school classmate of Vice President JD Vance, had actively courted private sector investment for military infrastructure. Alongside Deputy Under Secretary Dave Fitzgerald, he promoted the construction of data centers and critical mineral processing facilities, with corporations already committing billions of dollars.
The future of these initiatives remains uncertain, as reports indicate Fitzgerald is also planning to resign this week. Previously, Driscoll advocated for integrating Ukrainian experience in innovation and drone warfare into US doctrine; however, recent Pentagon decisions reflect a reversal of those policies.
Illustrative photo: @VP / Public domain
