Dan Driscoll, the US Army Chief of Staff, submitted his resignation to the White House following months of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. ^[1] According to The Economist, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed at least 24 admirals and generals since taking office, many without explanation. ^[2] US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has strengthened control over the Pentagon following a series of personnel purges within the military department. ^[3] Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 36-year-old Puerto Rican congresswoman, announced on September 1, 2026, that she intends to extract and freeze her eggs to delay motherhood. ^[4] Ocasio-Cortez aims to run for the US Presidency in 2028 as the Democratic nominee, positioning herself to become the youngest, first female, and first Hispanic president in US history. ^[5] An official familiar with the situation told Reuters that Driscoll expressed concern regarding the transformation and readiness of the military, specifically criticizing Hegseth for blocking these efforts by dismissing generals responsible for the changes. ^[6] Dan Driscoll, who was confirmed in his role in February 2025, had previously urged the military to become more agile in purchasing cheaper weapons and criticized large defense manufacturers. ^[7] As a result of the purges, the US Army currently lacks a Senate-confirmed Chief of Staff, Secretary, or Commander of European forces. ^[8] Dan Driscoll, the outgoing Army Secretary who resigned on August 31, had advocated for modernization and opposed these dismissals. ^[9] The congresswoman cited the example of Karoline Leavitt, a 28-year-old former Trump spokesperson who left her post to attend to maternity duties, as a reason to avoid similar interruptions in her own career. ^[10] A Dominican former president advised a visitor that 'things are not said; they are done' because announcing political plans gives advantages to adversaries. ^[11] In June, the Pentagon requested an additional $80 billion package from Congress to cover war-related expenses. ^[12]