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OpenAI hires ex-Army Secretary Dan Driscoll as national security counselor

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OpenAI hires ex-Army Secretary Dan Driscoll as national security counselor

OpenAI has hired Dan Driscoll, the former civilian head of the US Army, as "Senior Counselor for National Security Modernization". The Decoder, citing the Wall Street Journal and AP, describes the hire as part of OpenAI's push to become the go-to AI company for US national security and defense.

The Wall Street Journal reads the move as a clear signal that OpenAI wants closer ties with the military, a bigger share of government contracts, and a seat at the table when rules for AI use in the armed forces and intelligence agencies are written.

According to OpenAI, in this newly created role Driscoll will work with governments, industry, academia and US allies to strengthen national security and cyber defense through AI. He will also help OpenAI's teams understand what security institutions need on the ground. Driscoll says national security requirements are shifting faster than at any point in the past 50 years, and that AI can take the load off bureaucracies, process more intelligence and route answers to the right people faster.

Driscoll has hands-on experience in the field. As the 26th Secretary of the Army, he oversaw nearly one million soldiers and more than 265,000 civilian employees. During his tenure he drove AI modernization across the service branch, including through Project ARIA, an initiative that brought AI tools to budgeting, logistics and tactical model deployment. He submitted his resignation in late August 2026. Reports point to months of friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who repeatedly removed senior officers or blocked their promotions over Driscoll's objections.

The Decoder also stresses his Capitol Hill value. A close ally of Vice President JD Vance, Driscoll maintains strong relationships with both parties in Congress, according to AP. The Decoder's own assessment is that this bipartisan network could prove especially useful if the balance of power shifts after the current midterm elections. The outlet expects him to help OpenAI land government contracts through those connections.

The hire builds on OpenAI's earlier defense moves. In late February 2026, the Pentagon classified rival Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" after CEO Dario Amodei refused to drop restrictions on mass surveillance and autonomous weapons from his contracts. That same day, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced a deal with the Pentagon to deploy its models on classified networks. Altman stressed that the agreement included safeguards similar to the ones Anthropic had fought to keep.

Key facts

  • OpenAI hired Dan Driscoll, the former Secretary of the Army, as "Senior Counselor for National Security Modernization", a newly created role.
  • According to OpenAI, he will work with governments, industry, academia and US allies on national security and cyber defense through AI.
  • As the 26th Secretary of the Army he oversaw nearly one million soldiers and more than 265,000 civilian employees, and drove AI modernization including Project ARIA.
  • AP says he maintains strong relationships with both parties in Congress; The Decoder expects that to help OpenAI win government contracts, especially if power shifts after the midterms.
  • The hire follows OpenAI's February 2026 Pentagon deal for classified networks, announced the day the Pentagon labelled Anthropic a "supply chain risk".

Why it matters

OpenAI is putting a former head of the US Army inside the company at the moment it is trying to become the go-to AI provider for national security. The Wall Street Journal reads the hire as a bid for closer military ties, a bigger share of government contracts and a voice in how rules for military and intelligence AI use are written. It extends OpenAI's February 2026 Pentagon contract for classified networks, which came after Anthropic was shut out.

Who it affects

OpenAI and its rival Anthropic, which the Pentagon classified as a "supply chain risk" in late February 2026 after Amodei refused to drop restrictions on mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. It also touches the US military and intelligence agencies as AI buyers, and the lawmakers in both parties whom Driscoll knows. Governments, industry, academia and US allies are the groups his role is meant to work with.

How to use it

This is a personnel story, not a product, so there is nothing to adopt. For readers tracking defense AI, the useful signals are the scope of the new role (national security and cyber defense work with governments, industry, academia and US allies) and whether OpenAI's government business grows after the midterm elections, which The Decoder flags as a possible turning point.

How solid is it

The hire and the job title come from OpenAI via reporting by the Wall Street Journal and AP, as relayed by The Decoder. The Army tenure details (nearly one million soldiers, more than 265,000 civilian employees, Project ARIA) are stated by The Decoder. The bipartisan relationships are attributed to AP. The claim that he will help land contracts is The Decoder's expectation, and the midterms point is its own assessment, not a stated OpenAI plan. The friction with Hegseth rests on unnamed reports.

Risks and caveats

The source gives no exact date for the announcement or Driscoll's start, no compensation, and no specific contracts OpenAI expects to win. No statement from Hegseth, the Pentagon or Anthropic about the hire is quoted. The friction with Hegseth is attributed only to unnamed reports, and the source does not say it was the reason for Driscoll's resignation. It also does not say whether the hire was cleared under any revolving-door or ethics rules.

“OpenAI is pushing hard to become the go-to AI company for US national security and defense.”

— The Decoder