Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned on Aug. 31 after months of tension with Pete Hegseth, according to CBS News Politics. A source familiar with the resignation said Driscoll had raised concerns that generals involved in efforts to prepare the Army for future warfare had been forced out. Driscoll had been working to modernize the Army and expand its capabilities involving unmanned weapons, the source said.
Since Pete Hegseth took over as defense secretary, the department has seen departures by at least 20 generals, admirals and civilian defense officials. The departures include senior leaders from the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as civilian officials in the Defense Department.
President Trump abruptly removed Air Force General Charles Q. Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a February 2025 social media post, 16 months into Brown’s term. Trump selected Air Force Gen. Dan Caine to replace Brown.
Hegseth also dismissed Navy Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations, and General James Slife, the Air Force vice chief of staff, on the same day Brown was fired. Franchetti had been the first woman to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the second woman promoted to four-star admiral.
General Randy George, the Army chief of staff, was asked by Hegseth to retire immediately in April. General David Allvin left the Air Force chief of staff position last November, more than halfway through his term, without publicly giving a reason.
Hegseth also removed Army Lieutenant General Joseph B. Berger III and Air Force Lieutenant General Charles Plummer, the judge advocate generals of their services. The move followed Hegseth’s call for new nominees and criticism of military lawyers, whom he said should not act as obstacles.
Other departures included Admiral Alvin Holsey, who retired late last year after serving as head of U.S. Southern Command for a little over a year. General Christopher Donahue was compelled by Hegseth to retire early after leading U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
Air Force General Timothy Haugh was fired in April 2025 as director of the NSA and head of U.S. Cyber Command without a stated reason. A senior intelligence official and another source told CBS News that right-wing personality Laura Loomer played a role in Haugh’s removal, an allegation Haugh denied.
Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield was relieved in April 2025, with Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell attributing the decision to a loss of confidence in her leadership. The administration has also pushed out senior female and Black officers, while a source familiar with promotion lists told CBS News that Black and female officers were disproportionately removed from them.
John Phelan left as Navy secretary in April and was replaced as acting secretary by Hung Cao. The Trump administration and Hegseth agreed that new Navy leadership was needed, while President Trump said Phelan had struggled to work with others.
The leadership changes have drawn attention to Hegseth’s earlier criticism of military officers and his stated desire to make sweeping changes across the armed forces.