Republican Representative Pat Harrigan of North Carolina said Friday on C-SPAN Ceasefire that Dan Driscoll’s departure as Army secretary during an overseas conflict is worrisome, given the absence of confirmed Army leaders and the risk that confirmation difficulties could leave the service without them for a long stretch.

He said media accounts of Pentagon consequences go too far because such transitions occur in administrations, service secretaries average 22 months, and Driscoll served 18 after a delayed confirmation. Harrigan, close to both Hegseth and Driscoll, said Hegseth sees inadequate leader quality while Driscoll sees a combatant-command structure problem that only looks like weak leadership; both views contain some accuracy.

Hegseth still has more to offer the country, Driscoll’s exit is a national loss, stability remains essential, and Harrigan agrees military leadership has been politicized.