President Donald Trump has named Adam Telle as the acting Army secretary after his predecessor, Daniel Driscoll, departed from the same role earlier this week.
“He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, adding that Telle Telle is assuming the position “effective immediately.”
Telle’s appointment comes after Driscoll resigned on Tuesday. He didn’t publicly explain his reasoning for the resignation that occurred 18 months into the role, though multiple reports after the fact described repeated clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Pentagon chief ousting some of Driscoll’s allies in the Army. Reports also alluded to readiness pertaining to the ongoing military operation against Iran.
“As a third-generation Army veteran, it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as the Secretary of the Army under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth. Tomorrow is my last full day in the role,” Driscoll said in a statement upon his leaving.
Who is Adam Telle?
Telle was previously the assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, where he worked for 18 months, focusing on commercial navigation, flood damage reduction and permitting under the Clean Water Act.
Prior, he worked in Congress in various roles for around 20 years, including as chief of staff for Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee from 2021 to 2025.
Telle also spent 10 years working for the late Republican Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, and worked as the chief staff member on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Homeland Security Subcommittee.
He also worked in the White House during Trump’s first term as a special assistant to the president for legislative affairs.
He starts his role in the Army six months into the United States’ war with Iran. In this job, he will oversee the nation’s largest fighting force, many of whom are stationed in the Middle East.
Telle Appointment Follows Similar Move With Navy
Telle’s appointment was met with praise from Hegseth and other Republican officials.
“Huge congrats to Adam. Strong and whip smart,” Hegseth wrote on X after Trump’s nomination. “He is indeed a great Patriot — and will be an immediate asset to the @USArmy.”
“The president made an excellent choice in appointing him to serve as Acting Secretary of the Army,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Adam has been a fantastic partner as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. I am confident he will succeed in leading America’s Army.”
Telle’s nomination comes amid a leadership shake-up in the Navy.
On Wednesday, Trump nominated Hung Cao as Navy secretary after his stint as acting Navy secretary—a role he assumed after John Phelan was fired amid infighting with Pentagon leaders and disagreements about how to manage the Navy’s shipbuilding program.
Cao needs Senate confirmation before his role is confirmed. Telle, however, does not.
