Trump reportedly ‘expressed concern’ over Hegseth’s Army purge in private meeting
WASHINGTON, DC: President Trump reportedly "expressed concern" over the number of senior Army leaders leaving under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after outgoing Army Secretary Dan Driscoll raised the issue during a private White House meeting last week.
According to The Atlantic, which spoke with four people familiar with the conversation, Driscoll approached Trump because tensions with Hegseth had hit a breaking point. During the meeting, Driscoll told the president he was stepping down and detailed the impact of the leadership changes across the Army.
Trump reacts to Army leadership cuts under Hegseth
The Wall Street Journal broke the news of Driscoll’s exit on August 21. By Monday, it was official.
The Atlantic reported that Trump was caught off guard when he heard how many generals and top officers had lost their jobs or been sidelined while Hegseth was in charge.
Driscoll pushed back, saying that losing so many leaders left the Army unable to change the way it needed to. That argument appeared to strike a chord with Trump when they spoke.
The magazine wrote of Trump's private face-to-face meeting with Driscoll. Trump was surprised when Driscoll told him how many generals and other top officers had been fired, pushed out, or passed over for promotion under Hegseth, one of the people said.
Driscoll argued that the Army could not transform itself the way it needs to because of the departure of so many leaders, this person said, adding that Trump expressed concern about the deep cuts to the Army's senior leadership.
Driscoll informed the president of his intention to resign, and by Monday, Driscoll was on his way out.
Army faces senior leadership vacancies after top exits
With Driscoll stepping down, the Army now faces a leadership gap at the top.
There's no permanent civilian secretary, no Senate-confirmed chief of staff, and several senior posts, especially in operational and European commands, sit vacant.
The Atlantic points out that the Army, which fields over 450,000 active-duty soldiers, now counts fewer generals than it's had in years.
Personnel decisions had emerged as a major source of friction between Hegseth and Driscoll. Driscoll had backed Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, whom Hegseth ultimately fired in April. Gen. Chris Donahue, who commanded US Army Europe and Africa, was later removed as well.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve, Hegseth's pick for the Army's No. 2 post, has served as acting chief of staff after George's ouster, frequently sidestepping Driscoll to take decisions directly to Hegseth, according to the magazine.
Hegseth is expected to nominate LaNeve for George's former job, though lawmakers hostile to Hegseth could complicate his confirmation.
Sean Parnell emerges as potential Driscoll replacement
Pentagon officials worry that Sean Parnell, a close ally and spokesperson for Hegseth, might step into Driscoll's role next.
If that happens, Hegseth would hold even more sway over Army personnel decisions. One defense official didn't mince words, telling The Atlantic that putting someone more politically in line with Hegseth in charge could do "generational damage" to the institution.
