Hegseth forces ouster of senior Army spokesman in latest internal clash

Source: Washington Post

February 17, 2026 at 9:05 a.m. EST


Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has forced the ouster of a senior military adviser to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, defense officials said, marking the Pentagon chief’s latest intervention into the service’s internal affairs amid long-simmering tension between two of the Trump administration’s top political appointees.

Hegseth directed Driscoll to fire Col. David Butler during a discussion at the Pentagon last week, officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation between Hegseth and Driscoll. It is at least the second time since September that Hegseth had raised the issue with him, officials said.

Butler has served most recently as a spokesman and media strategist for Driscoll and Gen. Randy George, the Army’s chief of staff. He had been nominated for promotion to brigadier general, but Hegseth took issue with that plan for reasons that remain unclear, officials said.

Officials familiar with the matter said that Butler’s name appeared on a list of about three dozen promotion-eligible Army officers that should have been sent to the White House for approval months ago. It appears his inclusion was among the reasons those promotions have been delayed. After Hegseth’s directive to Driscoll last week, these people said, Butler elected to submit his retirement paperwork rather than hold up his colleagues’ promotions.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/02/17/pete-hegseth-dan-driscoll-david-butler/