Senators confirmed North Carolina native Dan Driscoll to lead the U.S. Army on Tuesday afternoon.
Once Driscoll is sworn into office, he will oversee the Army’s 1.2 million employees and a requested $185.9 billion budget.
Driscoll, 38, grew up in Banner Elk, and lives in Winston-Salem.
His confirmation came despite some Pentagon officials being concerned that Driscoll was unknown to them and had limited experience, the Military Times reported.
He served in the Army less than four years from 2007 to 2011, finishing with the rank of first lieutenant. During that time, he deployed to Iraq.
Last month, Driscoll told senators he comes from three generations of soldiers that include his father and grandfather, and while his own son is only 8, and could later change his mind, he, too, plans to join the military.
Driscoll testified on Jan. 30 before the Senate Armed Services Committee about his background and why he should lead the Army.
Driscoll also has little political experience, but struck up a friendship with now-Vice President JD Vance while they both attended Yale University; Driscoll was in the Yale Veterans Association with Vance.
In 2020, when Driscoll ran to represent North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District — after Rep. Mark Meadows left to serve as Trump’s chief of staff — Vance donated to Driscoll’s campaign. Driscoll lost the Republican primary. Rep. Madison Cawthorn won and went on to serve one term.
Driscoll worked as a venture capitalist and in private equity at companies in North Carolina, but maintained his friendship with Vance. Vance later hired Driscoll to serve as his senior adviser.
When Trump nominated Driscoll to lead the Army, he said Driscoll would be “a disruptor and change agent.”
Driscoll faced little push back during his confirmation hearing, except from Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois.
Duckworth voted against Driscoll in the Senate floor vote Tuesday afternoon, along with 21 other senators.
Both North Carolina Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, Republicans, approved Driscoll’s nomination.
___
© 2025 McClatchy Washington Bureau
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
