Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to remove Col. Dave Butler from his role as chief of Army public affairs and senior adviser to Driscoll. The directive came last week during a Pentagon conversation, with Hegseth raising the issue at least a second time since September. Driscoll, who was departing for Geneva to participate in U.S.-brokered Ukraine-Russia peace talks, had reportedly resisted Butler's removal for months, citing his contributions to Army modernization and communications.
Butler had been nominated for promotion to brigadier general, and his name appeared on a list of roughly 34 officers awaiting White House approval — a list that had been held up for nearly four months. Hegseth reportedly had concerns about a handful of officers on the list but cannot legally remove them. Butler elected to retire so that his inclusion on the list would no longer block his colleagues' promotions.
Butler's prior service as senior spokesman for former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley — a persistent target of Trump and Hegseth — is described by officials as a key factor in the removal, though no official reason was publicly stated. Butler also received personal recognition from President Trump for his work organizing the Army's 250th anniversary parade.
Driscoll praised Butler in a statement but did not address the circumstances of his departure. Butler declined to comment. This removal follows earlier firings or forced retirements of multiple senior officers including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the chief of naval operations, and others.
