The White House has been actively reviewing candidates to potentially replace Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, with three people familiar with the discussions confirming the process to Reuters. The effort, which began in June, has included conversations with senior lawmakers in the Senate about whether the administration's picks would have enough support to be confirmed. According to Reuters, one source indicated the review was still going on as of late August, though the outlet could not determine exactly when the White House began considering candidates. No decision has been made to remove Feinberg from his post, and the sources did not specify which candidates the White House is considering. The review represents a sign that more leadership change could come for a Pentagon already facing unusually high staff turnover.
The administration has strongly rejected the replacement reports. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly dismissed the sourcing behind the story, stating 'These so-called anonymous 'sources' have no idea what they are talking about.' She emphasized that President Trump appreciates the work of Secretary Hegseth, Deputy Secretary Feinberg, and the entire Department of War, whose record of success in Operation Epic Fury, Operation Absolute Resolve, and Operation Midnight Hammer speaks for itself. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Feinberg has his full support and 'isn't going anywhere.' The Pentagon separately denied that any replacement process was under way and declined to make Feinberg available for comment. In a statement to Reuters, Hegseth said Feinberg has worked tirelessly to rebuild the Defense Industrial Base and ensure the military has everything it needs to win.
Should Feinberg eventually depart, it would represent the most senior staff change for a department that has already seen a string of high-profile departures under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned this week following months of tension with Hegseth, according to a source familiar with the matter, following earlier exits by Navy Secretary John Phelan and several senior Army leaders. Much of the internal friction traces back to the private-equity billionaire's struggle to deliver on a pledge to speed up US munitions output, with analysts noting that the US industrial base cannot ramp up quickly enough. The Army has declined to comment on the reasons for Driscoll's departure.
According to The Washington Post, Hegseth privately blamed Feinberg during an exchange with Trump at Camp David earlier this month for allowing stocks of long-range guided missiles and air-defense interceptors to shrink. The White House has called this account 'fake news.' In an Aug. 18 memo he sent to defense firms and seen by Reuters, Feinberg called on contractors to speed up production and provide more transparency around pricing. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Feinberg has completely divested from Cerberus and recused himself from any conversations or business relationships between the firm and the department. Parnell emphasized that there are no conflicts of interest between Feinberg and Cerberus, and that Feinberg has recused himself from any conversations or business relationships between the Executive Branch and Cerberus.
The scrutiny comes as Trump has become increasingly frustrated with the six-month-old war with Iran and the lack of a breakthrough, even as he has publicly played down concerns about depleted US munitions. Reuters has reported that the US military faces significant shortages of certain munitions, which have alarmed Congress and military leaders. Trump has dismissed these concerns, saying the US has 'far more munitions than anyone in the world.' Feinberg, who vowed to accelerate US munitions production, has not yet met that goal, according to analysts who say that the US industrial base cannot ramp up quickly. Some defense industry executives say his task has been complicated by the slow pace of Congress appropriating funds despite immense pressure from the administration. The ongoing Iran war has settled into a costly standoff between the US and Iran, with one of the costs being a drawdown of US weapons stockpiles.
