How Army Secretary Dan Driscoll rose from Trump’s ‘drone guy’ to Ukraine-Russia peace point man
WASHINGTON — Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has emerged as a fresh face in U.S. diplomatic efforts, pushing hard for a settlement between Ukraine and Russia as President Trump seeks to close the lengthy conflict.
The 39‑year‑old, who has earned the nickname “best friend” of Vice‑President J.D. Vance, concluded a two‑day meeting with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi after hammering out a preliminary peace outline with Kyiv following Swiss talks over the weekend.
Driscoll’s meteoric career began when the White House tapped him to lead the Pentagon’s counter‑drone program—a field that has lagged behind both Russian and Ukrainian progress.
Referred to by Trump as “the drone guy,” Driscoll initially visited Ukraine to scout ways the U.S. could leverage Kyiv’s technological advances for American forces, before being tasked with presenting a potential final peace plan.
At a recent Kyiv stop, he delivered a draft “28‑point plan” to President Volodymyr Zelensky, later refining the proposal into a “19‑point document” after consultations with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son‑in‑law Jared Kushner in Geneva.
Ukrainian national‑security adviser Rustem Umerov reported that the delegations had reached a common understanding on the core terms in Geneva, which now suggests Ukraine might cede unoccupied territory in return for a halt to Russia’s 33‑month‑old invasion.
Sources indicate Driscoll’s charisma and toughness, coupled with his close ties to Vance, have positioned him as a potential key player in a future Vance administration, though he has no desire to replace Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
He has gained a reputation for challenging long‑time defense contractors, earning the moniker “the most adorable person at DOW” in a joking nod to his down‑to‑earth demeanor juxtaposed with a no‑nonsense approach to advancing emerging technologies and disrupting entrenched multi‑billion‑dollar deals.
Driscoll’s involvement in the peace talks marks a new strategy: bring someone from the military who might be able to persuade Russia through a blend of competence, personality, and a willingness to make hard concessions, offering a fresh face in a field that has largely been dominated by career diplomats.
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