The Telegraph reported the information.Dan Driscoll, once considered a rising Pentagon figure with close ties to Vice President JD Vance, has been cut out of negotiations with Ukraine after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth grew concerned about his expanding role in the peace process.Sources indicate that Driscoll was "reeled in" after being perceived as overstepping his authority. "He was seen to be exerting himself a bit too much, and he had his hand slapped," one person close to the situation said.Until recently, Driscoll had become a key player in efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine. In November, he traveled to Kyiv to present President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a 28-point peace proposal backed by President Donald Trump. The meeting reportedly grew tense when Zelenskyy rejected the plan, which would have required Ukraine to surrender territory to Russia.European diplomats involved in the discussions described Driscoll as unwilling to compromise with Ukrainian negotiators. "We are not negotiating details," he reportedly told officials during meetings in Kyiv.Driscoll was scheduled to return to Ukraine two weeks ago but didn't show up. He also canceled a planned appearance at talks between Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on December 1st. "Our delegation was surprised," a Ukrainian official said, suggesting Driscoll "had not been allowed to come."The sidelining of Driscoll reflects broader internal divisions over Ukraine policy within the Trump administration. Three competing factions have emerged: an anti-interventionist group aligned with Vance, an establishment team led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and a business-focused contingent headed by special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential advisor Jared Kushner.White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly denied any internal conflict, stating that "President Trump is extremely pleased with Secretary Hegseth's work leading the Pentagon" and that "Secretary Driscoll has been very helpful gathering feedback from the Ukrainians in order to craft a deal."Trump has been invited to peace talks scheduled for Saturday in Paris but has not yet decided whether to attend. Kelly emphasized that the administration "will only participate in talks this weekend if there is a real chance of signing a peace agreement."