Trump’s ‘Drone Guy’ Dan Driscoll Named Unlikely Envoy for Controversial Ukraine Peace Proposal

Dan Driscoll, a 30s-era former investment banker and the current US Army secretary, has been tapped by President Donald Trump to ferry a contentious 28-point peace proposal between Kyiv and Moscow. The assignment thrusts a relative diplomatic novice into the center of one of the most sensitive foreign-policy challenges of the moment.

From finance and the Pentagon to a diplomatic front line

Driscoll's rise in the administration has been rapid. Sworn in on 25 February, he oversees the Army's budget and a workforce that includes more than 1 million active-duty, National Guard and reserve soldiers and roughly 265,000 civilian employees. He also serves, since April, as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, replacing Kash Patel in the temporary role.

A former investment banker with a degree in business administration, Driscoll previously served more than three years in the US Army, including a nine-month deployment to Iraq in 2009. His military record includes several awards, among them an Army Commendation Medal. He later worked for the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and rose to chief operating officer at an investment firm in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Why Driscoll?

Observers point to a mix of factors behind his selection. A friendship with JD Vance dating back to Yale Law School has helped cement his place within the president's inner circle. His reputation inside the White House as a competent operator since taking office has also helped. And his public association with advanced military technology, particularly drones, has earned him the informal label of the administration's "drone guy."

At the same time, the sidelining of other officials has opened space for him. The administration's formal Ukraine envoy is expected to step down, and the defense secretary has recently faced diminished political standing amid controversy. "There’s not a lot of trust in him to deliver these messages to key leaders," said a person familiar with administration dynamics about the defense secretary, adding that "there is more trust in Dan to do that right now."

Carrying the 28-point plan

Driscoll delivered the White House's 28-point peace proposal to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week. The package has been sharply criticized by Kyiv and several European allies, who described it as a capitulation that could reward Moscow's aggression. Driscoll is expected to travel to Russia to discuss the plan with Kremlin officials and to consult US European NATO partners — a delicate task amid widening tensions between the administration and European capitals.

“There is more trust in Dan to do that right now,”

Drone diplomacy and procurement leverage

Driscoll's original Kyiv trip was framed around military-technology cooperation, especially drones. He has publicly praised Ukraine's ability to innovate and rapidly produce effective unmanned systems, citing its improvisational approach as a model for achieving practical outcomes. "When you look at Ukraine, they have not accepted the current version of a thing as sufficient, and they have MacGyvered and come up with whatever they have to do to get to an outcome they need," he told reporters.

The US has signaled ambitions to buy large numbers of drones in coming years — a target that US defense contractors may struggle to meet on their own. Kyiv's drone industry, reported to have a substantial production capacity, could become a bargaining chip in negotiations over technology transfer and procurement, and Driscoll's familiarity with the topic could make him a useful interlocutor in those discussions.

What this means

Appointing Driscoll to shuttle a high-stakes peace plan highlights how the administration is relying on trusted insiders with operational reputations rather than seasoned diplomats for delicate negotiations. Whether that approach can win buy-in from Ukraine, persuade European allies, or persuade Moscow remains uncertain — and the move has already provoked significant criticism from Kyiv and several NATO partners.