President Donald Trump announced on Thursday, September 3, 2026, that Adam Telle will serve as the interim Secretary of the US Army. Telle currently holds the position of Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

Trump described Telle as a “great patriot” in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. This appointment follows reports from Monday, August 31, 2026, that the then-Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll, had resigned after months of strained relations with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.

Telle has been involved with the Army’s Civil Works office since August 2025. Prior to this, he spent two decades working in Congress for various lawmakers, including a tenure as chief of staff for Republican Senator Bill Haggerty from 2021 to 2025. He also served 18 months at the White House during Trump’s first term as a special assistant for legislative affairs.

Military Leadership Under Strain

According to American press reports, friction between Secretary Driscoll and Secretary Hegseth intensified after Hegseth assumed his role in January 2025. This tension is believed to have contributed to the departure of Army Chief of Staff General Randy George in April 2026. Driscoll and George were reportedly close partners working on technological modernization projects and had visited Ukraine together before the general’s resignation.

The White House, through spokesperson Anna Kelly, praised Driscoll’s effectiveness in implementing Trump’s agenda, preparing the armed forces, and engaging in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Hegseth, a former Army officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, transitioned to a career as a commentator on Fox News before being appointed by Trump to lead the Pentagon. His appointment was met with skepticism by career military leadership.