Pete Hegseth has reportedly compelled the dismissal of a senior military adviser to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, according to defense officials.
This unexpected action marks the latest in a series of interventions by the Pentagon’s leadership into the Army’s affairs, highlighting a significant escalation in the ongoing power struggle within the military hierarchy.
The dismissal stems from increasing tension between Hegseth and Driscoll, both of whom are influential political appointees from the Trump administration.
Sources informed The Washington Post that Hegseth instructed Driscoll to terminate Col. David Butler during a discussion at the Pentagon last week.
Col. Butler had been serving both Driscoll and retired Gen. Mark A. Milley, a figure who has frequently been a target of President Trump’s criticisms.
This incident marks the second occasion on which Hegseth has advocated for Butler’s firing, but this time, he successfully achieved the outcome.
The intervention has laid bare a deepening rift within the Pentagon, as Hegseth continues to assert his authority over the Army’s top brass.
Butler’s resume listed him as most recently a spokesman and media strategist for both Secretary Driscoll and General Randy George, the Army’s chief of staff.
Trump, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speak with soldiers
Pete Hegseth has forced out a senior military adviser to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, defense officials revealed today
The ouster is the result of a serious strain between Hegseth and Driscoll – two of the Trump administration’s most powerful political appointees
While Butler had been nominated for promotion to brigadier general, Hegseth reportedly had a problem with the promotion, preventing it.
According to officials, the reasons Hegseth opposed the promotion remain unclear.
Insiders reveal that Colonel Butler was among roughly three dozen officers whose names should have been sent to the White House months ago for final sign–off.
However, his presence on that list became the primary reason for a total freeze on promotions for the entire group.
Following a sharp directive issued by Hegseth to Driscoll last week, Butler made the decision to submit for his retirement
The move effectively clears the path for the remaining officers, who had seen their promotions delayed for months while the Pentagon leadership clashed over the list.
Driscoll did not give an explanation for Butler leaving from the department, but confirmed he is retiring.
‘We greatly appreciate Col. Dave Butler’s lifetime of service in America’s Army and to our nation,’ the statement said.
Retired Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was a target of Trump’s retribution tour. Milley called Trump ‘fascist to the core,’ making that sentiment public in the run–up to the 2024 presidential election
‘Dave has been an integral part of the Army’s transformation efforts. He will be missed and I sincerely wish him tremendous success in his upcoming retirement after 28 years of service,’ Driscoll added.
Butler declined to comment.
He might have found himself in hot water due to his high–profile stint as the senior spokesman for Milley.
Milley, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff until his retirement in 2023, has been a frequent target of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth for years.
The bad blood stems from a series of well–documented clashes between the general and Trump during the president’s first term in office.
Milley had worked under Trump and President Joe Biden and has been at the center of threats from the Iranian government.
Milley was among the Trump administration officials involved in the January 2020 assassination of Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani who received security details in the aftermath.
Weeks before Election Day 2024, Watergate star and longtime Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward revealed that Milley had described Trump as ‘fascist to the core’ and ‘the most dangerous person to this country.’
