After meeting Ukrainian officials in Kyiv, the US secretary of the Army is now negotiating with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi. Daniel Driscoll is fast becoming a key figure in US foreign policy.
Looking through the gallery of US secretaries of the Army from past decades, there are few names that would be familiar to a non-American audience. This is not surprising: the job description primarily involves equipment acquisition and financial issues relating to the United States Army. This could change with the current incumbent, Dan Driscoll. He was 38 years old when he took office, making him the youngest person to hold the position. But there’s more: As of a few days ago, he seems to be the one to have been tasked with the most delicate mission.
Although the lawyer and former military officer, who served as a soldier in Iraq in 2009, has no diplomatic experience, Driscoll has been given a central role as a key negotiator in US President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
From Kellogg to Witkoff to Driscoll
Conducting ceasefire talks with Russia and Ukraine should technically have been the job of retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, whom Trump appointed as US special envoy for Ukraine after being elected for a second term. But despite being considered an important advocate for Kyiv in Washington, the experienced ex-military man has been gradually stripped of his powers and has failed to play a decisive role. He is due to leave his position in early 2026.
It was Trump’s special envoy for peace missions Steve Witkoff who initially took over the talks with Russia. The former real estate manager and Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East had already played a key role in negotiations to bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and is considered one of the US president’s closest confidants. Now, however, Driscoll is coming to the fore.
Driscoll delivers ‘peace plan’ to Zelenskyy
Driscoll first gained international attention on November 20 when he made an unannounced trip to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Initially, it was supposed to be a routine visit to discuss defense issues such as drones. But then the minister received orders to deliver a 28-point White House “peace plan” to end the conflict to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
From Ukraine, he traveled on to Switzerland, where he held confidential negotiations with representatives of Ukraine and European NATO allies in Geneva, alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Witkoff. Since Monday, Driscoll has been in the capital of the United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi where he reportedly held secret talks with a Russian delegation. According to media reports, he also met the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov.
Close friendship with JD Vance
Much like Witkoff, Driscoll has little diplomatic experience. But the father of two, who has previously worked as a lawyer and an investment banker, was born into a military family in North Carolina. His grandfather fought in World War II, while his father fought in Vietnam, and he himself served as a platoon leader in a mountain division in Iraq.
Since he had no high-level experience in the military or in politics before 2025, his meteoric rise is attributed to his longstanding friendship with US Vice President JD Vance, with whom he attended Yale Law School.
In late February, it was not US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth but Vance who swore Driscoll in as secretary of the Army, an appointment that also met with broad approval from Democrats in the US Senate. In his short speech, Driscoll particularly emphasized his close friendship with the vice president and his wife.
Not much trust in Hegseth
According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Driscoll “is said to have impressed White House insiders as one of the administration’s most skillful performers.” This is in contrast to Hegseth, who has been embroiled in various controversies and considered unsuitable for sensitive missions.
A report in the media outlet Politico said that “a person familiar with administration dynamics” had told them that there was not “a lot of trust in Hegseth to deliver these messages to key leaders.”
By contrast, there was more trust in Driscoll, who has established close working relationships with top government officials, including with regard to the controversial National Guard deployments across the US.
Driscoll was assigned additional responsibilities within weeks of taking office. Since April 2025, he has been the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), on whose expertise he can rely for his negotiations on the war in Ukraine. He has publicly praised Ukraine’s innovative spirit in developing improvised drones and autonomous weapon systems that he said the US emulates. He said that the US Army planned to buy at least one million drones within two or three years.
Since it is questionable whether the US itself could provide such supplies so fast, Ukraine has signaled that it could help. Driscoll appears to be a suitable negotiator for an exchange of technology that could benefit both nations.
