Former Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll made his first public appearance since leaving the Trump administration. Speaking in Kyiv, Driscoll addressed what he described as “an inflection point in warfare.” He noted that the world’s leading militaries have yet to adopt the necessary speed and innovation in their operations.
Driscoll shared the stage with Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and current head of Perennial Autonomy, a defense firm involved in Ukraine. The discussion, moderated by CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, was part of the Yalta European Strategy forum. This annual event, organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, examines Ukraine’s future in Western security.
Both Driscoll and Schmidt praised Ukraine’s battlefield innovations, particularly “DELTA,” a software platform integrating data from multiple sources. Driscoll asserted that this platform surpasses the technology currently available to the U.S. military. He emphasized Ukraine’s potential to advance its AI capabilities, offering the nation an opportunity to outpace its adversaries.
The expansion in AI and processing power provides Ukraine with a path to out-innovate and out-partner competition,said Driscoll.
Driscoll, an Iraq War veteran and former venture capitalist, addressed the conference after resigning from his position on August 31. Tensions had arisen with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over removing senior officers and modernizing the Army. Despite his departure, Driscoll continued to advocate for lessons learned from Ukraine’s conflict.
During his tenure, Driscoll initiated procurement reforms for quicker deployment of new weaponry in response to the conflict with Iran. When the U.S. sought defenses against Iranian Shahed drones, Perennial Autonomy provided crucial support, delivering thousands of interceptor and reconnaissance drones used in Ukraine.
Eric Schmidt described a pivotal moment in which Driscoll reached out for support: He literally called me and I said, of course, yes.
The conference highlighted a growing divide between the U.S. military’s approach and Ukraine’s rapid innovation. Audience members acknowledged Ukraine’s ambitious plans for drone production, contrasting with the U.S.’s current scale.
Driscoll did not discuss recent firings within the U.S. Army, but he reaffirmed the country’s commitment to Ukraine. He noted the unwavering desire to support Ukraine’s success, despite falling short of Kyiv’s expectations.
Reflecting on his decision to leave government, Driscoll explained his belief in contributing more effectively from the outside, stating, My highest and best use to make the world a little bit safer at this very scary time was to do it on the outside.