Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth favors Sean Parnell to become the next Army secretary, according to two former Pentagon officials, but the Pentagon spokesperson would probably face a tough path to Senate confirmation.
Hegseth is considering Parnell to succeed Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who is reportedly weighing a departure from the Pentagon in the coming weeks. The former officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations, confirmed a report in The Hill that Parnell is short-listed for the role.
Parnell is a decorated Afghanistan veteran, former congressional candidate and trusted Hegseth adviser, but his partisan political profile, combative posture toward the press and past domestic abuse allegations — which he denies — could complicate any confirmation effort.