Hegseth Pentagon overhaul sparks departures, readiness concerns

September 9, 2026 at 04:11 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's shake-up of the Pentagon has triggered a string of departures, including the top civilian in charge of the US Army last week. The upheaval has sparked questions about military readiness and the future of US alliances. The turmoil comes as the US military is engaged in a stalemated war in the Gulf over the Strait of Hormuz.

Key Facts

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has overseen a string of departures of top military leaders, including the top civilian in charge of the US Army last week.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis called for Hegseth to be fired, saying he had 'never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country'.
H.R. McMaster, Trump's National Security Adviser during his first term, said Driscoll was pushing a modernisation agenda to catch the army up.
Driscoll had clashed repeatedly with Hegseth over the nature and speed of military reform, including the rapid expansion of drone warfare capabilities.
The US military is simultaneously engaged in a stalemated war in the Gulf over the Strait of Hormuz, drawing in forces and equipment from around the globe.

Pentagon Leadership Turmoil

The departure of the Army's top civilian last Monday was the latest twist in a power struggle within the Pentagon over the future of the US military. Driscoll had clashed repeatedly with Hegseth over the nature and speed of military reform, and his resignation followed a long line of top leaders removed or sidelined by Hegseth. Republican Senator Thom Tillis, a frequent Trump critic, called for Hegseth to be fired, stating he had 'never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country'. H.R. McMaster, who served as Trump's National Security Adviser during his first term, told CBS that Driscoll was pushing a modernisation agenda to catch the army up.

Army Readiness Dispute

Driscoll wanted urgent modernisation by adding drones throughout ordinary army formations to make the force adept for 21st Century warfare. He said the Ukraine war had shown how the battlefield had changed, with cheap drones and anti-missile systems challenging the US military's vast bureaucracy and expensive procurement processes. Hegseth had initiated much of this modernisation plan but subsequently came into conflict with Driscoll and others advocating its rapid expansion. A source familiar with last week's departure said Driscoll had raised concerns within the administration about army readiness and transformation, which Driscoll said Hegseth was 'blocking' by firing the generals responsible. Jon Duffy, a retired Navy captain and former White House defence policy official, said Driscoll's resignation showed how far Hegseth had 'hollowed out' the military leadership at a critical moment.