Former Army Secretary Driscoll praises Ukraine's warfare innovation in Kyiv during 1st public appearance since resigning

September 12, 2026 / 3:24 PM EDT / CBS News

Former Army Secretary Driscoll praises Ukraine's warfare innovation in Kyiv during 1st public appearance since resigning

TL;DR

  • Former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll made his first public appearance since leaving the Trump administration at the Yalta European Strategy forum in Kyiv.
  • Driscoll warned of an "inflection point in warfare" and criticized large militaries for lacking necessary speed and innovation.
  • He praised Ukraine's wartime innovations, particularly the 'DELTA' software platform, which he described as superior to current U.S. military technology.
  • Driscoll suggested that Ukraine could "outrun the Russians, and out-innovate them, and out-partner so that you can crush them" by expanding its AI capabilities.
  • He noted that the U.S. military began procurement reforms to speed up the delivery of new weapons, inspired by lessons from the war in Ukraine.
  • The article mentions that Perennial Autonomy, led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, supplied drones to the U.S. to counter Iranian Shahed drones.
  • Despite praise for Ukraine's innovations, the article points to recent U.S. actions, such as phasing out a drone battalion studying Ukraine's warfare and the removal of key personnel, suggesting a potential turning away from learning these lessons.
  • Driscoll defended the U.S. commitment to Ukraine, stating it has been "unflinching in the desire for you to be successful," but acknowledged it may have fallen short of expectations.
  • He stated his belief that his "highest and best use" to make the world safer was now outside of government.