RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down from his post, according to a Department of Defense official.
Why it matters: Driscoll, the youngest Army secretary in U.S. history, was well-liked in the military and regarded as a Trump 2.0 power player who took on a diplomatic role in talks to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Between the lines: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not warm to Driscoll as the two worked at the Department of Defense, but Driscoll's friendship with Vice President JD Vance offered him some protection.
Tension between Hegseth and Driscoll was in part over the Defense secretary allegedly removing four officers — two Black men and two women — from a promotions list after Driscoll refused to do so, The New York Times reported .
In February, multiple outlets reported that Hegseth had forced the ouster of one of Driscoll's senior advisers, Col. David Butler, who was also the former spokesperson for Trump foe Gen. Mark Milley.
Fox News reported that Driscoll resisted Hegseth's pressure to fire Butler.
What they're saying: "Secretary Driscoll has been highly effective in advancing President Trump's agenda to Make America Strong Again at the Department of the Army by providing outstanding leadership during historic military operations, restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, assisting with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.
"The United States Army is more powerful than ever thanks to his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War."
The Pentagon referred Axios to the Army when asked for comment; the Army did not immediately respond. Driscoll also did not respond to a comment request.
The big picture: Driscoll, nicknamed "drone guy" for his work on military modernization, had a meteoric rise in the Trump administration after the president nominated him Army secretary.
As the Army's civilian leader, he oversaw its annual budget and a workforce of over 1 million active-duty, National Guard and reserve soldiers, along with over 330,000 civilian employees.
Driscoll's growth was in part boosted by a willingness to engage media outside the Pentagon's preferred conservative press pool and an expansive travel circuit, Axios' Colin Demarest writes .
He garnered some Democratic support during his confirmation process, with 16 Democrats backing him. Others, however, voiced concerns over a perceived lack of experience.
Flashback: In November, Driscoll traveled to Ukraine to present a U.S. peace plan, an unusual task for the Army secretary, making him the highest-ranking administration official to take the trip.
That plan called on Ukraine to make significant concessions and ultimately has not secured peace, though after meeting with Driscoll, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to negotiate .
Go deeper: The rise of Dan Driscoll, Army secretary turned envoy
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