Daniel Driscoll, secretary of the Army, and General Randy George, chief of the General Staff, at the Capitol in Washington, June 5, 2025. ROD LAMKEY / AP
Donald Trump does not like having to revoke his backing of an appointee. But the rotation of key figures within his administration does provide a glimpse into which officials satisfy him and which do not. It has been especially true in the military sphere. Despite playing a minor role in complex strategic matters, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has found his niche in his frontal communication style and his predilection for identity politics – a far cry from his predecessor under Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, who had galvanized military support for Ukraine. And underneath him, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll, 39, has been rising.
Also appointed acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Driscoll was dispatched to Kyiv to participate in US diplomatic efforts, meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on November 20. Three days later, he was in Geneva alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio to begin discussions with European and Ukrainian delegations regarding the US peace plan. On Monday evening, he arrived in Abu Dhabi to discuss progress with Russia. It's made for a remarkable acceleration of his career.
