Cracks inside the Pentagon. Intensifying conflict between defense and army ministers

The  Wall Street Journal,  in an exciting investigative report, revealed unprecedented deep cracks in the structure of the US Department of Defense (Pentagon), following a public and heated conflict between Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.

 The conflict, which has gone beyond administrative differences to the stage of "lightning dismissals" of senior leaders, threatens the stability of the world's most important military institution at a critical time.

The Roots of Conflict: The "Alternative Complex" and External Missions

The backdrop of tension, according to the summer, dates back to the moment Driscoll was appointed by President Donald Trump last October to undertake a sensitive diplomatic mission in Russia.

This assignment, which went beyond the usual hierarchy of leadership by bypassing the secretary of defense, sowed the seeds of anxiety for Hegseth.

According to the newspaper's sources, Hegseth saw Driscoll as a "potential successor" who threatened his position, which prompted him to pressure the White House to withdraw Driscoll from the negotiations, which was done temporarily, but did not end the conflict but moved him inward.

The Battle of "Promotion Lists": Breaking the Administrative Bone

The dispute moved from foreign policy to the management of military human resources, with Driscoll refusing to obey Hegseth's orders to remove names from a list of high-level promotions.

This administrative rebellion sparked a direct confrontation last February , where a routine meeting turned into a "sharp tussle" that lasted for more than an hour, which ended with the dismissal of a senior communications adviser, in a clear reference to the imposition of control by force.

A straw broke the back of the Pentagon

The crisis culminated in the leak of details of the dispute to the New York Times, as Higseth, who suspected the ground forces chief of staff, Gen. Randy George, of being behind the leaks, made the decision that they were his service over a phone call that did not exceed 60 seconds, without prior warning or official explanation.

 The repercussions of the dismissal included the appointment of General Christopher Laneuf (former military assistant to Hageth) as a temporary replacement and a purge of General David Howden and Major General William Greene Jr.

It created a state of shock and resentment within the military circles close to Trump.

Ignore hierarchy. And an uncertain future

In a move that reflected the magnitude of the division, Driscoll issued an official statement pledging to remain in office, addressing his letter directly at President Trump while "completely ignoring" the mention of his immediate boss Hegseth.

With reports of promises made by Hegsey to his spokesman, Sean Parnell, to give him the position of secretary of the military, it appears that the Pentagon is about to face a legal and political confrontation that may require direct intervention from the White House to end the "war of the factions" that is beginning to spiral out of control.

The conclusion, according to American media sources, is that what is happening today in the Pentagon is not just a personal dispute, but a struggle for "loyalty and sovereignty" within the military administration. The dismissal of a general of Randy George's size in a time of war, and the violation of established protocols, puts the cohesion of the U.S. military to the test and raises questions about the ability of Pete Higseth to lead the department in an atmosphere of political "uncertainty."