Trump Makes Surprise Pick To Lead Army After Driscoll’s Departure

President Donald Trump made a surprise pick on Thursday when he elevated Adam Telle, the official overseeing the Army Corps of Engineers, to take over as the Army’s top civilian leader.

“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,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all.”

Telle replaces Dan Driscoll, who had won plaudits for his efforts to modernize the Army, but reportedly clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

It is an unorthodox move by Trump to install an assistant secretary to oversee the service. The pick bypasses the Army’s second most senior civilian official, Undersecretary Michael Obadal, who ordinarily would take over. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, who is also the service’s confirmed No. 2 civilian, has filled that service’s top spot for several months.

Driscoll, who announced his resignation earlier this week, leaves the Pentagon after months of speculation that he would depart amid tensions with Hegseth over the future of the service.

His departure is the latest turn in a raft of firings and resignations in both the uniform and civilian ranks of the Pentagon, which also saw the Army’s top officer, Gen. Randy George, forced out in April.

It is unclear who Trump will nominate for the job on a permanent basis.

Hegseth was quick to praise Telle’s appointment, calling the Army official “strong and whip smart” and saying he “will be an immediate asset” to the service in a social media post.

Telle was confirmed by the Senate last August to oversee the Army’s civil works portfolio.

He is also a known quantity on Capitol Hill as a longtime Senate GOP staffer, most recently as chief of staff to Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.). Telle was a longtime Senate Appropriations Committee staffer and aide to former Appropriations Chair Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). He also worked on the White House legislative affairs team during Trump’s first term.