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.
"We greatly appreciate Col. Dave Butler's lifetime of service in America's Army and to our nation," Driscoll said. "Dave has been an integral part of the Army's transformation efforts."
The Times reported it is unusual for a War secretary to personally intervene in the removal of an Army spokesman and said Hegseth has made no secret of his animosity toward Milley, a frequent target of President Donald Trump.
Milley has faced scrutiny from Trump allies dating back to the president's first term, and the Post noted Hegseth has already 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.
Fox News, citing military officials, reported that Butler volunteered to have his name removed from the promotion list if it would help "unlock" other promotions.
The outlet said the list had been delayed for nearly four months because Hegseth has concerns about several officers selected by the Army board, though the secretary reportedly cannot legally remove them.
Driscoll reportedly had 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.
The reports come as Hegseth continues an effort to overhaul Pentagon leadership, a move supporters say is necessary to restore accountability and refocus the military on readiness rather than politics.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.