The White House has reviewed potential candidates to replace Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, according to three sources familiar with the discussions, signaling that additional leadership changes may be forthcoming at the Pentagon, which is already experiencing unusually high staff turnover.
The vetting process, which began in June, has involved discussions with senior Senate lawmakers on whether the administration’s nominees would secure sufficient confirmation support, two sources said, with one noting the review remained ongoing as of late August. Reuters could not ascertain the exact start date of the White House consideration.
All three sources indicated that no decision has been made to remove Feinberg from his position. They declined to specify the rationale behind the review or the identities of any candidates under consideration.
“These so‑called anonymous ‘sources’ have no idea what they are talking about,” said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly.
President Donald Trump appreciates the work of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Deputy Secretary Feinberg, and the entire Department of Defense, whose record of success in Operation Epic Fury, Operation Absolute Resolve, and Operation Midnight Hammer speaks for itself, she said, referring to U.S. military operations in Iran and Venezuela.
The Pentagon denied that it was pursuing a replacement process. When queried by Reuters, Secretary Hegseth issued a statement affirming his full support for Feinberg and stating that he “isn’t going anywhere.”
The Pentagon offered no comment from Feinberg and declined to make him available for an interview.
Feinberg’s departure would be most senior Defense Department staff change
Should Feinberg leave, his departure would represent the most senior staff change in a department that has already experienced a series of high‑profile resignations under Secretary Hegseth.
U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned this week after months of tension with Hegseth, according to a source familiar with the matter. The Army has declined to comment on the reasons for his departure. Navy Secretary John Phelan and several senior Army leaders have also left their posts in recent months.
Feinberg, who pledged to accelerate U.S. munitions production, has yet to meet that goal, according to analysts who say the U.S. industrial base cannot scale up quickly. Some defense industry executives note that his mission has been hindered by the slow pace of congressional funding despite strong administration pressure.
“Feinberg has worked tirelessly to rebuild our Defense Industrial Base and ensure our military has everything it needs to win, and I look forward to continuing to work with him,” Hegseth said in his statement to Reuters, adding, “He’s doing a tremendous job for President Trump, for the Department, and for our warfighters.”
Frustration over the Iran war
President Trump has increasingly voiced frustration with the lack of progress in the conflict with Iran, which has settled into a costly standoff between the United States and Tehran.
One consequence of the stalemate has been a drawdown of U.S. weapons stockpiles. Reuters has reported that the military faces significant shortages of certain munitions, alarming Congress and senior commanders.
Trump has dismissed those concerns, asserting that the U.S. possesses “far more munitions than anyone in the world.”
However, during an exchange with Trump at Camp David earlier this month, Hegseth reportedly blamed Feinberg for allowing stocks of long‑range guided missiles and air‑defense interceptors to shrink, according to a Washington Post report.
The White House has labeled the report “fake news.” In a statement to Reuters, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said, “Secretary Hegseth did not mislead anyone about our munitions posture, and he did not blame Deputy Secretary Feinberg.”
Appointed by Trump the previous year, Feinberg has sought to reshape the Pentagon by increasing the military’s direct investments in companies and extending loans to defense contractors through several departmental offices, including the Office of Strategic Capital and the newly created Economic Defense Unit.
In an August 18 memo he sent to defense firms, which Reuters reviewed, Feinberg urged contractors to accelerate production and improve price transparency. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment on the memo.
Feinberg has also drawn scrutiny on Capitol Hill, where Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has questioned whether his former firm, Cerberus Capital Management, could benefit from Pentagon spending on its Golden Dome missile‑defense program.
“There are no conflicts of interest between Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg and Cerberus,” Parnell said. “He has completely divested from Cerberus and has recused himself from any conversations or business relationships between the Executive Branch and Cerberus.”
Cerberus declined to comment.