Overview
- Reuters reported the White House began privately reviewing candidates to replace Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg in June and held talks with senior Senate lawmakers about whether potential nominees could win confirmation.
- The White House and the Pentagon denied any removal process and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly declared that Feinberg has his full support and “isn’t going anywhere.”
- The personnel review follows an unusually high turnover at the Pentagon, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s recent resignation after reported clashes with Hegseth, raising worries about loss of institutional experience.
- Feinberg, a Cerberus co‑founder, was appointed to speed U.S. munitions production but has not met analysts’ targets as the six‑month Iran war has drawn down key stocks and Congress has moved slowly on funding, prompting conflict‑of‑interest questions on Capitol Hill.
- The administration’s private vetting and public denials show how political calculations over confirmations could affect Pentagon continuity and the broader effort to rebuild munitions and readiness, so legislators’ response and any nomination moves will be key to watch.