Trump selects a former soldier and Iraq War veteran to serve as Army secretary

By TARA COPP and LOLITA C. BALDOR The Associated Press

The Department of Defense logo is seen on the wall in the Press Briefing room at the Pentagon on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Kevin Wolf]

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has selected a former soldier and Iraq War veteran to serve as his secretary of the Army.

Daniel P. Driscoll, who is from North Carolina, had been serving as a senior advisor to Vice President-elect JD Vance, whom he met when both were attending Yale Law School. He ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for a North Carolina congressional seat in 2020, getting about 8% of the vote in a crowded field of candidates.

“Dan will be a fearless and relentless fighter for America’s Soldiers and the America First agenda,” Trump said on his social media platform.

If confirmed, Driscoll, 38, would take the helm of a military branch that has been struggling to overcome recruiting shortfalls through a sweeping overhaul of its programs and staffing. The Army is also undertaking a widespread effort to revamp and modernize its weapons systems.

Since his graduation from Yale in 2014 and his tour in the Army, Driscoll has worked at several investment banking and consulting firms in North Carolina.

According to the Army, Driscoll served as an armor officer from August 2007 to March 2011, deploying to Iraq from October 2009 to July 2010. He completed Army Ranger school, earning a Ranger tab, but it was not immediately clear when that occurred.

Completing the course allows a soldier to wear the tab but does not mean that he served as a Ranger in the elite 75th Ranger Regiment, which is part of the Army’s special operations command and requires significantly more training.

He left the military service at the rank of first lieutenant. He also graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Driscoll’s military awards include the Army Commendation Medal and the the combat action badge, which are meritoriously earned.

His other awards are often given due to completion of service during a military campaign and include National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.