Dan Driscoll, known as the “drone guy,” has left his post after 18 months. He tendered his resignation to President Donald Trump, administration officials confirmed to U.S. media after initial reports from the Wall Street Journal. A source quoted by the New York Times said Driscoll met with Trump to discuss the current state of the Army. Another source cited by CNN said he raised concerns with Trump about the “transformation and operational readiness of the Army” and argued that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had hindered those efforts by dismissing experienced generals.

Why he left the post

Driscoll had served as Secretary of the Army since February 25 of last year. He was appointed by President Trump to replace Christine Wormuth, who had been the first woman to hold the position under President Biden. U.S. media report that he left after months of tension within the Department of Defense and following the early-April firing of Randy George, the Army’s Chief of Staff. In June news surfaced about the imminent departure of General Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. forces in Europe and Africa—known in part for his association with the image of the last U.S. soldier who left Afghanistan during the 2021 withdrawal. According to the New York Times, Driscoll’s resignation followed repeated clashes with Hegseth over the removal of senior, experienced Army leaders.

Who is Dan Driscoll

Born in Boone, North Carolina, in 1985, Daniel P. Driscoll served in Iraq in 2009 while in the Army. He later attended Yale Law School, where he met J.D. Vance, now the U.S. vice president. The two are reported to be close friends, and Driscoll has served as an adviser to Vance.

In 2020 Driscoll was unsuccessful in a bid for Congress. He has worked in investment banking. When announcing his nomination in 2024, President Trump described him as a “former service member, investor and political adviser” whose blend of experiences would allow him “to act as a force for change and innovation.”

Late last year Driscoll played an active role in efforts related to the conflict in Ukraine, which escalated in February 2024 after a large-scale Russian invasion. He departs at a time when no clear solution is in sight for Ukraine, and more than six months after the United States and Israel launched operations against Iran, to which Tehran has responded. A replacement from President Trump is expected; midterm elections are approaching.

Not just Dan Driscoll: senior military leaders who have left

Driscoll’s resignation is, according to U.S. media reconstructions, the latest in a series of departures or removals of high-ranking, experienced military officials amid reports of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News host.

In January 2025, Admiral Linda Fagan was removed from command of the Coast Guard; she had been the first woman to lead that service.

In February 2025, it was announced that Charles Q. Brown Jr., a long-serving Air Force officer and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, would be replaced. Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to head naval operations and a Biden appointee, also left the stage. James Slife, the Air Force’s number two, departed as well.

In April 2025, the director of the NSA and head of U.S. Cyber Command, General Timothy Haugh, was fired. The same month, Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, a helicopter pilot who had represented the U.S. on NATO’s Military Committee and had been the first woman to lead the Naval War College in Newport, was removed.

In August 2025, General David Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, announced his resignation. Jeffrey Kruse, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was later removed, along with Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, who led the Navy Reserve, and Rear Admiral Jamie Sands, commander of Naval Special Warfare Command.

In October 2025, Admiral Alvin Holsey unexpectedly announced his departure as head of U.S. Southern Command.

In April 2026, Randy George, the Army Chief of Staff, was dismissed. David Hodne, who led the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, and William Green Jr., head of the Army Chaplain Corps, were also removed, as was Secretary of the Navy John Phelan in a sudden Pentagon decision. In June 2026 it was announced that General Christopher Donahue would leave his post as commander of U.S. forces in Europe and Africa; his name is also associated with the image of the last U.S. soldier who left Afghanistan during the 2021 withdrawal after a 20-year operation.