President Donald Trump tapped Adam Telle to serve as acting Army secretary Thursday, bypassing the service’s second-highest-ranking civilian official in an unexpected leadership shakeup that follows former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s resignation amid reported tensions with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
Telle had been serving as assistant secretary of the Army for civil works before Trump elevated him to the service’s top civilian position effective immediately.
“I am pleased to announce that Adam Telle, the current Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, will become Acting Secretary of the Army, effective immediately. He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all.”
Trump announced the appointment in a Truth Social post Thursday. The move places a longtime Republican Senate aide and former Trump White House official atop the Army while the administration considers a permanent successor.
The president urged Driscoll to stay through the midterm elections after the Army secretary said he planned to resign, according to The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the meeting.
Driscoll reportedly raised concerns with Trump about what he viewed as damage Hegseth was doing to the Army. Driscoll had repeatedly clashed with Hegseth over the removal of senior Army officers, stalled promotions and changes to modernization initiatives, The Post reported.
Driscoll had also previously been viewed as a potential replacement for Hegseth after the defense secretary’s early tenure raised concerns among some senior officials close to Trump, according to the outlet.
Trump’s decision bypassed Army Undersecretary Michael Obadal, the service’s second-highest-ranking civilian official, who would ordinarily take over the top job under the standard line of succession.
Federal law establishes a clear succession order: the Army undersecretary would be first in line, followed by the assistant secretaries, the Army general counsel and then the chief of staff.
Driscoll announced Wednesday would be his final full day as Army secretary after roughly 18 months in the role. He said he had worked to “modernize and accelerate” how the Army mans, trains and equips its forces and credited Hegseth with supporting that effort.
As a third-generation Army veteran, it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as the Secretary of the Army under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth. Tomorrow is my last full day in the role.
Our Soldiers, Civilians, and their Families are our Nation’s very best, and they…
— Secretary of the Army (@SecArmy) September 2, 2026
Hegseth praised Trump’s selection of Telle, calling him “strong and whip smart” and saying he “will be an immediate asset” to the Army, according to a post on X.
Huge congrats to Adam. Strong and whip smart. He is indeed a great Patriot — and will be an immediate asset to the @USArmy. https://t.co/AOOlUgw4E6
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) September 3, 2026
Before joining the Pentagon, Telle served as chief of staff to Republican Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty and previously worked for the Senate Appropriations Committee and former Republican Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran.
Telle also served on the White House legislative affairs team during Trump’s first administration. The Senate confirmed him as assistant secretary of the Army for civil works in August 2025.
Driscoll’s exit follows several other high-profile departures under Hegseth, including former Navy Secretary John Phelan and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George.
A Pentagon spokesman defended the changes, saying “the premise that the Department is in disarray is completely baseless and an insult to every dedicated professional and warfighter in this building.” He added: “This is what reform looks like.”
It remains unclear whom Trump will nominate to lead the Army permanently.
