Key facts
- The White House has reviewed candidates to potentially replace Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg.
- The review was ongoing as of late August, according to sources.
- White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly denied the reports, calling them 'fake news'.
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated Feinberg has his full support.
- Feinberg's task of accelerating munitions production has been complicated by slow congressional funding.
- Senator Elizabeth Warren has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest between Feinberg and his former firm Cerberus.
The White House has been reviewing candidates to potentially replace Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, three sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters. This effort, which was underway in June and still ongoing as of late August, suggests further leadership changes at the Pentagon, which has already experienced significant staff turnover.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly denied the reports, stating the anonymous sources were misinformed. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth affirmed his full support for Feinberg, stating he is "doing a tremendous job." The Pentagon also denied that a process to replace Feinberg was underway.
Feinberg, the billionaire co-founder of private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, was appointed by President Trump last year with a mandate to accelerate U.S. munitions production. However, analysts note that the U.S. industrial base has struggled to ramp up production, a task complicated by slow congressional appropriations.
President Trump has reportedly expressed frustration with the lack of progress in the six-month-old war in Iran, which has become a costly standoff. According to a Washington Post report, Hegseth blamed Feinberg for shrinking stockpiles of key munitions, a claim the White House has labeled "fake news." The Pentagon spokesman stated Hegseth did not mislead anyone or blame Feinberg.
Feinberg has also faced scrutiny from Senator Elizabeth Warren regarding potential conflicts of interest between his role at the Pentagon and his former firm, Cerberus, particularly concerning the Golden Dome missile defense program. The Pentagon has stated that Feinberg has divested from Cerberus and recused himself from any related matters.