Hegseth’s Pentagon Lurches off the Rails
The Atlantic reports on the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, framing it as a symptom of dysfunction within the Pentagon under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The article argues that Hegseth is prioritizing personal loyalty over institutional expertise, leading to a purge of senior military officials.
Why it matters
This highlights significant internal instability in the U.S. defense leadership, which could impact national security and military readiness.
The resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is the latest sign of severe dysfunction in the Defense Department.
Anna Moneymaker / Getty August 31, 2026, 9:47 PM ET Share Save Making Pete Hegseth the secretary of defense was always a huge gamble. A television host with little background in national-security or defense affairs, who topped out as a major in the National Guard, he was nominated based on the same qualification shared by most of Donald Trump’s other appointees: loyalty. And now the price of that gamble is evident. The Pentagon is careening offtrack under a secretary of defense who is firing or forcing the resignations of officers and civilian officials, not because they are unqualified but because he believes they are insufficiently loyal to him, personally.
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