WASHINGTON — Military Secretary Dan Driscoll is the most recent unconventional US emissary trying to strong-arm Ukraine and Russia into sealing a peace deal as President Trump tries to finish nearly 4 years of battle.
Driscoll, the 39-year-old “finest good friend” of Vice President JD Vance, wrapped up two days of conferences with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi Tuesday after securing Ukraine’s tentative settlement to a revised peace framework following weekend talks in Switzerland.
The Military secretary’s meteoric rise has its roots within the White Home tapping Driscoll’s workplace to spice up the Pentagon’s counter-drone capabilities, which languish behind each Russia and Ukraine.
Driscoll — to whom Trump has referred as “the drone man” — initially went to Ukraine to suss out methods the US can capitalize on Kyiv’s technological improvement and prowess for the advantage of America’s warfighters.
Then, the Military secretary was handed a extra severe process: Current what might develop into the ultimate peace plan to finish Europe’s deadliest battle since World Struggle II.
At a gathering in Kyiv final week, Driscoll handed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky an early iteration of a peace framework — dubbed the 28-point plan — earlier than gathering with Kyiv officers in Geneva Sunday to hammer out additional particulars alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump particular envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, leading to a brand new 19-point doc.
In an indication of progress, Ukrainian nationwide safety adviser Rustem Umerov stated Tuesday that “our delegations reached a typical understanding on the core phrases of the settlement mentioned in Geneva.”
The deal at the moment proposes that Ukraine hand over some land not at the moment occupied by Russia in trade for the Kremlin stopping its 33-month-old invasion.
It was unclear how a lot progress Driscoll had made with the Russian facet as of noon Tuesday.
Three administration sources who’ve labored with Driscoll describe a captivating persona that belies a toughness behind closed doorways — however his high asset is his bond with Vance, who took his fellow Iraq Struggle veteran underneath his wing at Yale Regulation College.
“[Driscoll] is rather like Jared and Steve. He’s very near the Trump household… however he’s additionally very near the vice chairman. So this can be a man that’s probably a part of the long run US management,” one supply advised The Publish.
“In case you and I do know it, the Russians comprehend it too,” this individual stated.
“Persons are betting on JD being the following president, and there’s no query in anybody’s thoughts that Dan Driscoll will play a major position in a Vance administration. This isn’t somebody who might have a falling out with the vice chairman. They’re fairly actually finest buddies.”
Whereas hypothesis has grown that Driscoll could possibly be a doable substitute for present Secretary of Struggle Pete Hegseth, all three sources stated that Driscoll doesn’t need the Pentagon’s high job.
“He has little interest in butting heads with Pete,” the primary supply stated. “He understands that the bottom loves Pete [and] a surefire technique to be somebody that the bottom hates is by changing Pete.”
Driscoll has impressed administration colleagues by expressing skepticism of legacy protection contracting offers in favor of emphasizing rising applied sciences, and brings an unconventional set of credentials to the European peace talks after years of unsuccessful efforts by profession diplomats.
Trump’s pondering in tapping Driscoll to convey in regards to the doable endgame of the president’s most elusive overseas coverage purpose will be summarized in 4 phrases, an individual conversant in Driscoll’s task advised The Publish: “Let’s shake this up.”
“Possibly [the Russians] are going to be extra keen to be persuaded by somebody from the navy,” this insider added.
A second administration supply stated that Driscoll had been thrown into the combo as a result of “the president desires to get a deal completed.”
“Among the president’s lead negotiators aren’t simply individuals which might be sensible, educated and skilled, however they’ve good personalities,” this individual stated.
“And I believe that the president acknowledges that to get offers completed, it’s important to have slightly little bit of a persona. The president isn’t on the lookout for the teachers, the blokes that like to consider points, however as an alternative, the blokes that wish to resolve points.”
‘Probably the most lovely individual at DOW’
Driscoll, whom Trump has additionally given a facet job as appearing director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), confirmed his disarming facet at a Sept. 15 Oval Workplace occasion on the deployment of Nationwide Guard troops to struggle crime in Memphis.
“That good, lovely face — and he’s a complete killer. I don’t understand how you do it,” Trump gushed.
“Lotion, sir,” Driscoll replied, drawing laughter from fellow company.
“He’s obtained a babyface and he’s a killer, that are a singular mixture on this world,” the second supply stated.
Two sources stated that Driscoll was revered within the administration for his robust interactions with protection contractors who’ve for generations loved bipartisan help for profitable multibillion-dollar offers that convey manufacturing jobs to employees and large paychecks to executives.
“There’s nobody that has sat down throughout from Dan Driscoll, then thought that they may reap the benefits of him … You acknowledge in a short time that there’s no bulls— and no messing round, despite the fact that some describe him —not myself — however some describe him as essentially the most lovely individual at DOW [the Department of War],” the second supply stated.
“There’s been plenty of conferences the place these massive corporations which have been acquainted across the division for many years and have squeezed billions, if not trillions, out of the federal government for many years, don’t get a free move after they’re sitting in entrance of Dan,” this individual stated.
“He has been unequivocal and uncompromising with the military-industrial advanced, your massive corporations which might be used to enterprise as regular. They arrive in and he’ll snort them out of the room in the event that they’re making an attempt to pitch the standard type of gross sales pitch that the administration acknowledges is outdated and unwise for the long run.”
A 3rd supply famous that Driscoll has overtly spoken about legacy protection contractors going out of enterprise.
“He has been in a position to successfully ship robust messages to highly effective individuals, and there’s no extra highly effective group of individuals in america within the military-industrial advanced,” stated the third supply who has labored with him.
“He graduated from Ranger College … and served a fight tour in Iraq. That’s an indication of anyone with some actual psychological and bodily energy. You don’t get by these faculties and experiences simply by being a pleasant man.”
This supply claimed that Driscoll’s supply of the preliminary peace plan to Zelensky was accompanied by a stern message.
“He’s advised the Ukrainians: ‘Look, that is the fact of the scenario,’” this individual stated. “‘Ukraine is at a drawback proper now. The USA and NATO have a restricted capacity to reverse the battlefield drawback you could have and the present course isn’t sustainable. And so, there’s going to must be robust concessions.’”
Zelensky on Friday expressed concern that the most recent Trump peace push meant Ukraine “may face a really tough selection: both shedding dignity, or threat shedding a key companion,” earlier than his authorities signaled it might settle for refined peace factors, the total contents of which aren’t but public.
