Rising Pentagon star sidelined from Ukraine peace talks amid internal power struggle

Dan Driscoll, widely regarded as a rising star within the Pentagon, has reportedly been sidelined from ongoing peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, sources told The Telegraph.

The US Secretary of the Army, a former soldier, was “reeled in” by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth after allegedly overstepping his brief.

Diplomatic sources had expected Driscoll to attend the latest negotiations, but he did not appear, fueling speculation of a broader internal struggle within the US administration over control of the peace process. “He was seen to be exerting himself a bit too much, and he had his hand slapped,” a source close to the situation said.

Driscoll, already a close ally of Vice President JD Vance, has been rising in prominence within the Trump administration and had become a trusted figure for European partners due to his experience and level-headed approach. Last November, he was tasked with presenting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Donald Trump’s 28-point peace plan, making him the most senior US official to visit Ukraine under the current administration. The meeting reportedly became heated, with Zelenskyy rejecting the plan, which relied on Ukraine ceding territory to Russia.

European diplomats described Driscoll as an official who showed little inclination to compromise on Ukraine’s behalf. “We are not negotiating details,” he reportedly said during a briefing in Kyiv. Driscoll was expected to return to Ukraine for further talks and attend discussions in Paris on December 1, but both appearances were canceled, reportedly at the direction of senior officials.

The White House, however, denied that Driscoll had been excluded. “Any anonymous sources who claim to have inside information about Secretary Hegseth’s role have no idea what they are talking about,” deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said. She added that both Hegseth and Driscoll were “working in lockstep to stop the killing in this brutal war.

Driscoll has been seen as a potential successor to Hegseth as Pentagon chief. Trump reportedly refers to him as his “drone guy,” recognizing his push to modernize the US military with advanced technology and reduce reliance on outdated systems.

By Vafa Guliyeva