US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resigns After 18 Months

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation after approximately 18 months in the position. His departure was confirmed by CBS, which reported that it followed months of conflict between him and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Driscoll, who is 41 years old, has been described as the youngest-ever army secretary and has often been referred to as President Donald Trump's 'drone guy.' The White House stated that Driscoll has been 'highly effective' in advancing Trump's agenda and provided 'outstanding leadership' during military operations. The BBC has reached out to the White House, Pentagon, and Army for further comments. Driscoll's resignation follows a series of recent high-profile departures among military leaders, including Navy Secretary John Phelan, who resigned in April. Other notable exits include Army Chief of Staff Randy George, Army Gen David Hodne, and Maj Gen William Green. Hegseth has reportedly dismissed more than a dozen senior military officers since taking office, including the chief of naval operations and the Air Force's vice chief of staff. The specific reasons for the friction between Driscoll and Hegseth remain unclear, but CBS noted that Driscoll is friends with George, who was reportedly asked to resign by Hegseth. As army secretary, Driscoll directed active duty troops, the National Guard, and reserve soldiers. He previously served in the Army and led a cavalry platoon during a deployment to Iraq in 2009. Driscoll played a significant role in discussions aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He also supported the deployment of the National Guard to US cities during his tenure and briefly served as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.