Hegseth in Feud With Army Secretary

A simmering rift between War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll spilled into public view this week after Driscoll openly praised the Army's former top general, Randy George, whose abrupt dismissal has drawn scrutiny inside the Pentagon and among Republican lawmakers.

George's firing, which occurred while Driscoll was on vacation and without advance notice, marked the latest flashpoint in a strained relationship between Hegseth and Driscoll.

The row dates back to the early days of President Donald Trump's second term in office, according to The Wall Street Journal.

"I, too, love Gen. George," Driscoll told lawmakers during a hearing earlier this month, bringing the tensions out into the open. He also called the former chief of staff "an amazing, transformational leader."

Hegseth has moved aggressively to reshape Army leadership, firing or sidelining several senior officers, including officials with ties to retired Gen. Mark Milley, the former Joint Chiefs chairman who clashed with Trump.

George was fired on April 2 along with Gen. David Hodne, who led the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, and Maj. Gen. William Green Jr., the chief of Army chaplains.

They joined a growing list of generals and flag officers Hegseth has sacked since taking office, including: Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown Jr., Joint Chiefs chair; Gen. Tim Haugh, head of the NSA and Cyber Command; Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations; Adm. Linda Fagan, Coast Guard commandant; Gen. James Slife, Air Force vice chief of staff; and Defense Intelligence Agency director Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse.

According to sources close to the situation, tensions between Hegseth and Driscoll began shortly after they took office in early 2025.

In one early meeting, Driscoll proposed organizing a visit by Trump and Vice President JD Vance to meet with soldiers and discuss Army reforms.

Hegseth raised his voice and told Driscoll to "stay in his lane," The Wall Street Journal's sources said, with Hegseth asserting his authority as Pentagon chief. The meeting ended abruptly.

The friction has persisted through a series of disputes over personnel, policy, and influence within the administration.

White House officials said Hegseth retains Trump's confidence, while also praising Driscoll's role in strengthening military readiness.

"President Trump has effectively restored a focus on readiness and lethality across our military with the help of leaders like Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Driscoll," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth "maintains excellent working relationships with the secretaries of every military service branch, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll."

Still, the public nature of the dispute and the removal of a widely respected general during an ongoing period of global military commitments have fueled criticism.

Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery said the decision to fire George could undermine Army leadership at a critical moment.

"Effectively stripping the Army of a senior leader in a wartime environment, while trying to undergo transformation procurement-wise, I couldn't think of two things I'd rather not do than that," Montgomery said.

The tensions also extended into policy disputes. In early 2026, Hegseth and his aides pushed Driscoll to remove several officers, including Black and female service members, from a list of candidates for promotion to brigadier general, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Driscoll declined to alter the list.

The disagreement escalated during a lengthy meeting in February, when Hegseth ordered Driscoll to dismiss Col. Dave Butler, a former spokesman for Milley. Butler was removed from his post shortly afterward.

The conflict intensified further after a report revealed internal disagreements over the promotions list.

Hegseth and his aides suspected George of leaking details and decided to seek his resignation. George was dismissed in a brief phone call that lasted less than a minute, according to people familiar with the episode.

Some Republican lawmakers voiced support for Driscoll while expressing concern about how George's tenure ended.

"You are the right person, in the right place, at the right time," said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.

Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., a retired Army National Guard colonel, said George was a "distinguished representative of our Army" and added that "our country will regret that circumstance."

The relationship between Hegseth and Driscoll has also drawn attention within the administration, where Driscoll is viewed as closely aligned with Vance.

At one point, Trump tasked Driscoll with helping negotiate a peace effort in Ukraine, an unusual assignment for an Army secretary.

Hegseth later sought to have him removed from that role, according to people familiar with the matter.

In recent weeks, speculation has also emerged about potential leadership changes. Parnell denied reports that Hegseth had promised him the Army secretary role.

Driscoll has publicly signaled he intends to remain in his position.

"Serving under President Trump has been the honor of a lifetime and I remain laser focused on providing America with the strongest land fighting force the world has ever seen," Driscoll said in a statement. '"I have no plans to depart or resign as the Secretary of the Army."