Driscoll’s rapid transformation from a commander in charge of training and equipping troops to a major figure in international negotiations has come as a surprise. Although Trump’s de facto negotiator, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, had received far more attention up until then, Driscoll emerged as a trusted face in the White House, and his influence quickly began to grow.
Driscoll, who served in Iraq in 2009, graduated from Yale Law with JD Vance, and his close relationship with the US vice president undoubtedly helped his position. However, according to the reactions of people close to the current events, this is a well-deserved procedure – thanks to his “charisma and effective leadership” he gained respect within the administration, reports .
Will drone guy replace Hegseth?
His rapid rise inevitably brings with it speculation that he is being groomed as a potential successor to current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. However, Driscoll denies the speculation and publicly expresses his respect and support for Hegseth.
Still, Driscoll is increasingly viewed by both European defense officials and U.S. lawmakers as a real weight on defense issues, especially amid dissatisfaction with Hegseth’s leadership among some Republicans.
Donald Trump obviously likes Driscoll and calls him, for example, “drone guy” in connection with Driscoll’s ambitious goal of equipping the army with a million drones. Driscoll has also won bipartisan praise for his efforts to modernize the military and streamline the procurement program.
He praises the Ukrainian army
Although Driscoll is ideologically aligned with Vance, who sees America’s involvement in the war in Ukraine as a distraction from domestic problems, he also often praises the Ukrainian military for its ability to adapt quickly on the battlefield. He emphasized that the US military should learn from Ukraine, which “updates its drone software every few weeks.”
Trump’s peace plan, which was leaked to the public a few days ago, drew criticism from European leaders and American lawmakers. They warned that an agreement that does not provide sufficient military support to Kiev could lead to future conflict.
After the initial plan was leaked, Driscoll personally presented it to Ukrainian officials in Kyiv. He was later reported to have hinted at possible cuts to arms supplies and intelligence sharing to the Ukrainians if they did not cooperate in peace talks.
Although Secretary of State Marco Rubio later denied the claims, Driscoll’s participation in the negotiations heightened the sense of urgency.
The Geneva Peace Initiative: How Marco Rubio Rewrote the First Draft
The original draft of the peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, drawn up by US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Putin’s adviser Kirill Dmitriev, was the target of sharp criticism after it was leaked to the media. The original 28-point plan was seen as strongly pro-Russian, as it reportedly demanded that Ukraine give up territory in the Donbass, renounce ambitions to join NATO and scale back its military.
These conditions, which Witkoff even discussed by phone with Putin’s negotiator Yuri Ushakov, infuriated Kiev, which felt that the deal was being prepared behind its back and that Moscow would pay no price for such an invasion.
Flattery from Putin and a recycled proposal
The October 14, 2025 tapes showed Witkoff advising Ushakov that President Vladimir Putin flatter President Donald Trump—specifically, congratulating him on his diplomatic success with the hostages in Israel—in order to create a favorable atmosphere for peace talks.
Witkoff, close to Trump, believed he had the power to influence both Ukraine and the US president to accept a Moscow-friendly deal, suggesting that peace would require Ukraine to give up Donetsk and possibly other territories.
The original 28-point draft of the peace agreement was discussed, which significantly disadvantaged Ukraine. According to investigative reports, this plan not only bears traces of Russian influence, but is actually a recycled Russian document.
US negotiators, including Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were expected to draft it with senior Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev, taking key points of contention from a proposal Dmitriev wrote shortly after Trump took office. This confirms fears that the Russians had more influence on the structure of the peace plan than originally thought.
Urgent flight to Geneva and 11 hour negotiations
While President Trump, frustrated by the leak, considered the original plan almost final, Secretary of State Marco Rubio began an intense diplomatic effort to bring about major changes. Rubio flew to Geneva, where he led a series of intensive, 11-hour negotiations.
During these talks, the original Russian-influenced proposal was whittled down from 28 points to 19 demands. Rubio, who initially denied that the document was largely compiled by the Russians, later admitted that the US team was based on an understanding of the Russian position, which in turn led to the edits.
These changes under Rubio’s leadership were crucial: they involved the omission of points that would have made it virtually impossible for Ukraine to join NATO and that would have required it to cede territory to Russia. However, the main points of contention remain in three key areas: territory (Ukraine refuses to cede annexed territories), size of the army (Ukraine insists on 800,000 soldiers) and joining NATO.
Despite progress made by Rubio and other US representatives, including “drone guy” Dan Driscoll and special envoy Witkoff, Moscow will have the final say. To resolve the lingering differences, Trump ordered Envoy Witkoff to travel to Moscow to meet with Putin, while Driscoll is scheduled to meet again with Ukrainian leaders. The climax should be a meeting between Presidents Trump, Putin and Zelensky – but only after the deal is “FINAL or in its final phase”.
What else awaits us:
- Pope Leo XIV. continues to visit Turkey.
- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- Péter Magyar, the chairman of the strongest Hungarian opposition party TISZA, will publish the list of candidates in 106 constituencies in the elections in April 2026. (from TASR reporter)
- The Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will decide on former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s request for temporary release from custody. Duterte is accused of crimes against humanity related to alleged extrajudicial executions during the so-called the war on drugs.
- Trade unions in Italy have called for a general strike against the budget proposal presented by the government.
- The conclusion of the trial of ten people accused of sexist cyberbullying of the first lady of France, Brigitte Macron.
