Trump names Adam Telle as acting Army secretary following Driscoll departure

Sep 3, 2026

President Donald Trump appoints Adam Telle, a civilian infrastructure official and former Senate staffer, as acting Army Secretary following the abrupt resignation of Dan Driscoll. Driscoll's departure comes amid intense, widely reported clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has ousted or prompted the exit of about 20 military leaders. Telle takes command of the nation's largest fighting force during ongoing Middle East conflicts and critical weapon shortages.

Adam Telle acting Army secretary

▪President Donald Trump appointed Adam Telle, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, as the acting United States Army Secretary on September 3, 2026
▪Adam Telle has served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works overseeing the United States Army Corps of Engineers since August 2025
▪Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the appointment of Adam Telle as acting Army Secretary on September 3, 2026, calling Telle a strong and whip-smart patriot
▪Adam Telle will oversee the United States Army during ongoing conflicts with Iran and critical weapon shortages, despite having never served in the military

Dan Driscoll resignation

▪Dan Driscoll did not provide an official explanation for his resignation, stating only that serving as Army Secretary was the honor of a lifetime
▪United States Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned from his position as the top civilian leader of the Army in the week of August 31, 2026
▪Prior to submitting his resignation, Dan Driscoll spoke with President Donald Trump regarding the current state of the United States Army

Hegseth Pentagon leadership tensions

▪Senator Thom Tillis criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on September 4, 2026, accusing Hegseth of creating a leadership void at the top of the military
▪Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ousted or prompted the resignation of approximately 20 military and civilian leaders since taking over the Department of Defense
▪Dan Driscoll resigned as United States Army Secretary following months of reported tension and clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Telle Senate staff background

▪Adam Telle spent ten years working for the late Republican Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi, assisting with Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts
▪During the first term of President Donald Trump, Adam Telle served as the president's chief liaison to the United States Senate
▪Adam Telle served as chief of staff to Republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee from 2021 to 2025 before joining the Army Office of Civil Works

Pentagon NIH funding transfer

▪Representative Rosa DeLauro demanded the immediate termination of the agreement allowing the Pentagon to redirect National Institutes of Health funds for biomedical research
▪The United States Department of Defense signed an agreement to potentially access billions of dollars in National Institutes of Health biomedical research funds

DOJ pardon attorney lawsuit

▪Former Department of Justice pardon attorney Liz Oyer filed a lawsuit in 2026 alleging she was unlawfully fired for political reasons
▪Liz Oyer asserts she was fired in 2025 after refusing pressure to restore firearm rights to actor Mel Gibson due to his domestic violence convictions