Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll Steps Down Amid Pentagon Leadership Upheaval

Mr. Parnell exited a Senate race in November 2021 following a judicial ruling granting his estranged wife primary custody of their three children after she accused him of spousal and child abuse. The custody order was subsequently vacated, and Pentagon officials confirmed that Mr. Parnell has shared custody with his wife for several years.

Mr. Parnell, who addressed the 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where former President Trump survived an assassination attempt, maintains a strong bond with the president, according to officials. However, senior administration officials noted that Mr. Parnell would likely face confirmation challenges in the closely divided Senate.

Mr. Driscoll, a 40-year-old former Army first lieutenant, was recently considered a viable successor to Mr. Hegseth should he choose to step down or lose Mr. Trump’s favor. He commanded more support on Capitol Hill than Mr. Hegseth, who maintains a combative rapport with Democrats and even some Republicans on the key House and Senate committees overseeing the Pentagon.

Conversely, Mr. Driscoll was regarded by numerous lawmakers as one of the few Trump administration Pentagon officials capable of collaborating with both parties in Congress, according to two congressional aides. While Mr. Hegseth has sought to restrict direct communications between military officials and lawmakers, Mr. Driscoll has consistently responded to inquiries from both Republicans and Democrats on the Armed Services Committees, the aides noted.

During his confirmation hearings, Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, urged him to commit to allowing the Army to repair its own equipment rather than returning it to defense contractors. Months later, Mr. Driscoll implemented this “right to repair” policy, earning a rare commendation from a Democratic lawmaker—who had previously voted against his nomination—for a Trump administration official.

However, Mr. Driscoll expressed his frustration to Mr. Trump regarding Mr. Hegseth’s removal of numerous seasoned Army leaders and his blocking of promotions for colonels associated with individuals Hegseth disfavored, according to two officials.

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