Billionaire eyes Pentagon as Trump mulls leadership shakeup
President-elect Donald Trump has offered billionaire Stephen Feinberg the position of Deputy Secretary of Defense, as reported by "The Washington Post" on Tuesday. Feinberg owns the defense sector company DynCorp and has invested in developing hypersonic missiles.
According to the newspaper, it is not yet clear if Feinberg has accepted the President-elect's offer. He previously served as the head of Trump's advisory team on intelligence during Trump's first administration. Feinberg currently leads Cerberus Capital Management, which invests in hypersonic missiles, and had previously managed DynCorp, a company that provides aircraft servicing for the Pentagon.
A billionaire in the Pentagon?
The "Washington Post" notes that the deputy chief of the department is typically responsible for the day-to-day management of the bureaucratic operations of the Pentagon. Choosing someone with experience in leading large organizations and being well-known in the field for this role could ease establishment concerns related to the candidate for Pentagon chief, Fox News presenter Pete Hegseth, who lacks such experience.
Controversies surrounding Hegseth, who has faced allegations of sexual assault, persist. According to an article published Sunday in "The New Yorker," Hegseth also allegedly had to step down from a veterans' organization he led due to allegations of financial irregularities, sexist behaviour, and alcohol abuse.
Trump considers replacing the candidate for Pentagon chief
On Monday, the candidate met with several Republican senators who will decide on the approval of his nomination. According to the "Wall Street Journal," he is the most uncertain of approval among Trump's nominees, and several senators expressed a desire to further investigate the allegations against Hegseth.
As the "Wall Street Journal" writes, Donald Trump is considering replacing his chosen candidate for Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, with former rival and Governor Ron DeSantis.
Like Hegseth, DeSantis is a veteran—he served as a lawyer in the Navy, including at the Guantanamo base—and like him, he is a critic of inclusivity in the armed forces (Hegseth has advocated against women's service in combat roles, among other issues). The journal notes, however, that if the Fox News journalist's candidacy fails, Trump may also opt for a candidate other than DeSantis.
Hegseth could become the third person nominated by Donald Trump for top positions in the new administration whose candidacy falls even before the President-elect's inauguration. Previously, under Trump's pressure, attorney general candidate Matt Gaetz withdrew due to allegations of paying for sex with a 17-year-old, as well as the candidate for head of the DEA, Chad Chronister, who was criticized by conservatives for arresting a pastor in Florida who violated restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
