White House reviews possible successors to Pentagon deputy Feinberg, sources say

The White House has been examining possible replacements for Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, even as three people familiar with the discussions said no decision had been made to remove him.

The review began in June and included conversations with senior Senate lawmakers about whether the administration’s choices would have enough support for confirmation, two of the sources said. One said the review was still under way in late August. Reuters could not determine when the White House first began considering candidates, and the sources did not identify anyone under consideration or explain why the review was taking place.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly rejected the account. “These so-called anonymous ‘sources’ have no idea what they are talking about,” she said. Kelly added that President Donald Trump valued the work of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Feinberg and the Department of War, citing its record in Operation Epic Fury, Operation Absolute Resolve and Operation Midnight Hammer.

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These so-called anonymous ‘sources’ have no idea what they are talking about

The Pentagon also denied that a replacement process was under way. Hegseth said Feinberg had his full support and “isn’t going anywhere.” The Pentagon did not provide a comment from Feinberg and declined to make him available for an interview.

Feinberg, a billionaire co-founder of private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, would represent the most senior staff departure in a department that has already experienced several high-profile changes under Hegseth. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned this week after months of tension with Hegseth, according to a source familiar with the matter. Navy Secretary John Phelan and several senior Army leaders have also left in recent months.

Feinberg had pledged to accelerate US munitions production, but analysts said he has not yet achieved that goal because the US industrial base cannot expand quickly. Defense industry executives also said Congress has been slow to appropriate funds despite pressure from the administration.

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isn’t going anywhere