War Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the removal of a senior Army public affairs official who previously served under former Joint Chiefs Chair Mark Milley, according to reports.
The Washington Post and The New York Times reported that Hegseth directed Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to fire Army Col. Dave Butler, a communications officer who had been serving as a strategic adviser and spokesman for the Army’s leadership.
Butler ultimately chose to submit retirement paperwork rather than remain in place while his name continued to delay a larger list of Army promotions.
According to the Post, Butler’s name was among roughly three dozen promotion-eligible Army officers whose advancement had been delayed for months.
Officials told the newspaper that Hegseth took issue with Butler’s planned promotion to brigadier general for reasons that remain unclear and that Butler’s retirement was intended to prevent further delays for other officers.
In a statement cited by the Post, Driscoll praised Butler’s service but did not address the circumstances behind his departure.
