War Secretary Hegseth Directs Removal of Army Spokesman to Unblock Promotions

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the removal of a senior Army public affairs officer who previously served under former Joint Chiefs Chair Mark Milley.

Reports indicate Hegseth instructed Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to fire Army Col. Dave Butler, a communications officer who served as a strategic adviser and spokesman for the Army’s leadership.

Butler submitted retirement paperwork rather than remain in place while his name continued to delay a list of Army promotions. Butler’s name was among roughly three dozen promotion-eligible Army officers whose advancements had been delayed for months.

Officials stated that Hegseth took issue with Butler’s planned promotion to brigadier general and that Butler’s retirement was intended to prevent further delays for other officers. In a statement, Driscoll praised Butler’s service: “We greatly appreciate Col. Dave Butler’s lifetime of service in America’s Army and to our nation.” “Dave has been an integral part of the Army’s transformation efforts.”

It is unusual for a War Secretary to personally intervene in the removal of an Army spokesman, and Hegseth has publicly expressed animosity toward Milley, a frequent target of President Donald Trump. Milley has faced scrutiny from Trump allies since the president’s first term. Hegseth has taken administrative actions against him, including suspending his security clearance, revoking his security detail, and ordering a Pentagon inspector general review of his past conduct.

Military officials reported that Butler volunteered to have his name removed from the promotion list if it would help “unlock” other promotions. The list had been delayed for nearly four months due to concerns about several officers selected by the Army board, though Hegseth reportedly cannot legally remove them. Driscoll reportedly resisted pressure to remove Butler for months, citing Butler’s role in Army modernization efforts and his experience handling major events, including the Army’s 250th birthday celebrations and a high-profile military parade in Washington.

This development occurs as Hegseth continues efforts to overhaul Pentagon leadership.