On Thursday, President Trump announced that Adam Telle, who holds a civilian leadership role in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will serve as the acting Army secretary. This appointment follows the resignation of Dan Driscoll earlier this week.
Adam Telle currently serves as the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works. He has a long history of political involvement with Republican senators and previously worked in the White House as President Trump’s chief liaison to the Senate during Trump’s first term.
President Trump praised Telle on Truth Social, calling him “a Great Patriot, who is respected by all.” Similarly, Pete Hegseth, echoing Trump’s sentiment, congratulated Telle on X, highlighting his intelligence and patriotism.
Dan Driscoll, an Army veteran and close associate of Vice President JD Vance, resigned amidst ongoing friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Sources indicate this friction led to several high-level departures within the military under Hegseth. Driscoll had developed plans for Army operational transformation, expressing concerns to the Trump administration about Hegseth’s removal of key implementing generals.
In April, Hegseth requested the resignation of Gen. Randy George, Army Chief of Staff and a close associate of Driscoll. This was followed by Gen. Chris Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, submitting retirement papers just months later.
The “Army Transformation Initiative” introduced by Driscoll and George aimed to incorporate drones and emerging technologies into units while updating force structures and eliminating outdated equipment. George and Donahue also supported a new Army drone battalion, charged with learning from the active drone warfare in Ukraine. Despite these efforts, the Army has begun phasing out this battalion, amidst tensions involving acting Army Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve.
Telle is set to lead the Army during ongoing U.S. military conflicts in Iran, with substantial forces stationed in the Middle East. These conflicts have spotlighted shortages in crucial weapons systems like the Patriot and THAAD missile interceptors, operated by the Army.
Reactions to Driscoll’s departure have been mixed. Lawmakers from both parties expressed concern, with some directly blaming Hegseth. North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who is retiring and has had previous disagreements with Trump, noted on social media that Hegseth is “creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.”