Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to Leave Trump War Cabinet After Months of Reported 'Tension' With Pete Hegseth, Sources Say
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is reportedly preparing to leave the Trump administration after months of tension with Pete Hegseth.
Aug. 22 2026, Updated 12:20 p.m. ET
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is reportedly preparing to leave President Donald Trump's administration after months of tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Driscoll is expected to step down before the end of the year, although his departure could come sooner, according to a new report.
Dan Driscoll's Departure Could Come Before Year's End
Dan Driscoll is reportedly expected to step down from his position as Army secretary before the end of 2026.
The Army's top civilian official is reportedly preparing for an exit after months of strain between him and Hegseth.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that discussions surrounding Driscoll's departure are underway, with sources telling the outlet that he could leave before the end of 2026.
There are also signs that Driscoll may already be making preparations to move on from the position.
He and his family reportedly left the official Army secretary residence at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall during the summer.
Pete Hegseth Has Reshaped the Army's Top Ranks
Pete Hegseth previously ousted Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George.
Hegseth removed Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George from his position in April, but Trump has not yet announced a permanent successor.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who previously worked as Hegseth's senior military aide, has been filling the position on an acting basis.
Driscoll's reported plans to leave would add another high-level vacancy to an Army leadership structure.
'Actually a Killer'
Donald Trump praised Dan Driscoll last month, calling him a 'killer' during a defense conference in Pennsylvania.
Driscoll's potential exit is somewhat surprising given Trump's recent public praise.
Last month, Trump singled out the Army secretary during a defense conference in Pennsylvania, describing him as having a "beautiful smile but he's actually a killer."
Pete Hegseth Was Reportedly Told He Could Not Fire Dan Driscoll
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Pete Hegseth was reportedly concerned that Dan Driscoll could eventually replace him as defense secretary.
An April report from the New York Post also claimed Hegseth had become increasingly concerned that Driscoll's relationship with Trump could eventually put the Army secretary in position to replace him as defense secretary.
The report cited current and former administration officials who described Hegseth's "paranoia" about Driscoll's standing.
"[Hegseth] has got a big conflict with Driscoll. And he's been told by the White House he can't fire Driscoll, at least for the moment," a source told the outlet.
"[Hegseth] is very concerned about being fired, and he knows that Driscoll is one of the top contenders, or a natural contender, to succeed him. So what Pete has been doing is taking anyone he perceives to be close with Driscoll and going after them," the source added.
Another source said, "Pete got very paranoid about Driscoll talking behind his back to others in the military. It's really gotten under Hegseth's skin. He's trying to make everyone around [Driscoll] suffer for no reason."
