Trump announced that Adam Telle, who oversees the Army Corps of Engineers, will take over as acting secretary.
09/03/2026 11:37 PM UTC
President Donald Trump made a surprise pick on Thursday when he elevated Adam Telle, the official overseeing the Army Corps of Engineers, to take over as the Army’s top civilian leader.
“I am pleased to announce that Adam Telle, the current Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, will become Acting Secretary of the Army, effective immediately,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all.”
Telle replaces Dan Driscoll, who had won plaudits for his efforts to modernize the Army, but reportedly clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
It is an unorthodox move by Trump to install an assistant secretary to oversee the service. The pick bypasses the Army’s second most senior civilian official, Undersecretary Michael Obadal, who ordinarily would take over. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, who is also the service’s confirmed No. 2 civilian, has filled that service’s top spot for several months.