NEW YORK, NY, September 7, 2026 — Three people close to the discussions say White House aides have actively promoted potential replacements for Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg.
A Pattern of Departures
The vetting process—a first reported of Wednesday—comes as turnover at the highest levels of the Defense Department reached historic highs. Still, insiders stress no final determination has been made to remove Feinberg yet. Feinberg would be the most senior official to depart since the Pentagon switched hands when Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took control. High-profile departures have already shaken the department: Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned this week after months of public disagreement with Hegseth, along with Navy Secretary John Phelan and several senior leaders in the Army earlier this month. In fact, according to sources, the search for a successor started in June and involved discreet overtures to leading Senate figures. The initial talks focused on whether any potential nominee could get through the confirmation process in a divided chamber. That review, as of late August, was still ongoing.
The White House Pushes Back
The question was sidestepped at the White House briefing Wednesday, when an aide defended President Joe Biden’s choice for chief of staff and dismissed the reporting suggesting a potential shakeup. Kelly said: “These so-called ‘sources’ have been proven wrong time and time again, by people in their own business —People who know what they’re talking about. The campaign also said, President Trump greatly appreciates the work Pete, Kristofer and the rest of the team provide every day. The U.S. Department of Defense did not provide Feinberg for an interview or comment on the record. Hegseth has stuck up for him publicly even as rumors persist in Washington about what he will do to his deputy. The saga has also brought to light a continuing, shocking discrepancy between breathless official press releases and the buzzing whispers from those who know better.
Munitions Goals Fall Short
Feinberg, a co-founder of the private equity giant Cerberus Capital Management, took office promising to dramatically boost U.S. munitions production. Defense analysts tracking the defense industrial base say that goal remains frustratingly out of reach. Defense industry executives note that sluggish congressional appropriations have severely bogged down those efforts. Failing to meet key production targets has only magnified the internal scrutiny facing a department desperate to modernize quickly. Ongoing overseas conflicts are burning through critical munitions stockpiles far faster than domestic factories can replace them. That tense backdrop turns any potential leadership change into a high-stakes decision.
What It Would Signal
A Feinberg exit would mark the most significant departure yet for a department wrestling with management churn. Defense experts warn that constant turnover at the top cripples long-term strategic planning for military procurement and weapon modernization. Meanwhile, the White House offers no concrete timeline on if—or when—an official announcement will come. Capitol Hill aides expect any replacement nominee to face brutal questioning over missed production goals before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services. Tensions between the administration and Senate committees remain high, making Pentagon confirmation hearings increasingly hostile affairs. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are watching the situation unfold with extreme scrutiny.
