Outgoing Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Accuses Defense Secretary Hegseth of 'Generational Damage'

The outgoing U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll accused the defense secretary of doing “generational damage” to the military, according to a report.

Driscoll, who resigned on Monday, publicly praised both Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth in a statement released on Tuesday. However, one source told The Financial Times that Driscoll delivered a blunt message about Hegseth when handing Trump his resignation.

Hegseth has conducting sweeping changes to the U.S. military, becoming increasingly controversial while doing so.

The source told The Times that Driscoll believed Hegseth was doing “generational damage” to the U.S. military and that Driscoll had “tried so many different ways and so many times.”

“But it was just clear that…Hegseth wasn’t willing to listen to the facts or the truth, or the reason, or any of that, because of his personal animosity,” the source continued.

Hegseth, a former Fox and Friends Weekend host, has publicly declared that he wants to drastically change the Department of Defense, stating previously that he wanted it to be infused with a “warrior ethos.”

“We became the woke department. Not any more. We’re done with that s***,” he said.

An analysis by The New York Times found that Hegseth had fired or blocked the promotions of more than 80 generals and admirals, around 10 percent of the military’s top officers.

Asked for comment about reports that Hegseth recently blocked six promotions, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell told The Independent: “Promotion recommendations sent to the Secretary of War have always been recommendations - never mandates.”

Driscoll, a close ally of Vice President JD Vance, has widely been reported as having a tense relationship with Hegseth.

However, in his statement on X, Driscoll wrote that it had been the “honor of a lifetime” to serve under Trump and Hegseth.

“We could not have made the progress we did without the support of Secretary Hegseth,” he wrote. “I am forever grateful to President Trump for the opportunity to once again serve my country.”

The outgoing U.S. army secretary also confirmed that his final day in his role will fall on Wednesday.

Wider criticism of Hegseth has continued to grow, though, with Republican United States Senator Thom Tillis praising Driscoll and calling for the defense secretary to be fired.

Driscoll was dubbed the “right man at the right moment” by Tillis on X, with the senator going on to shred Hegseth’s record.

“If we had a @SecWar who maintained the same priorities and forward-thinking, he would be fighting to retain talented leaders like Dan and the many flag officers he has forced into retirement,” he wrote. “Instead, he is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.”

Tillis added, “I urge the President to find a new leader at the Pentagon who will retain and empower our military talent rather than diminish it.”

Senator Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters that he was “disappointed” to hear about Driscoll’s resignation.

“I’m hearing the same rumors as everybody else - that he was frustrated with some of his top generals being released, and that’s not the first time I’ve heard that,” Rounds said of Driscoll.