Hegseth considering Pentagon chief spokesperson to replace Army secretary

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is considering his chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, to succeed Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who is eyeing an exit from the Pentagon in the coming months, two sources familiar with the matter told The Hill.

The Hill previously reported that Parnell, who is also one of Hegseth’s senior advisers, has privately expressed his interest in the role.

In response to questions to Parnell, a senior administration official told The Hill that he is “100 percent focused on the job he was appointed to by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.”

A Pentagon official and former official familiar with the internal deliberations said he’s on Hegseth’s short list of candidates to replace Driscoll.

“Mr. Parnell has a deep bench of supporters throughout the Administration and has worked tirelessly to enable cultural change and accountability in the Pentagon,” the Pentagon official said in a statement to The Hill.

“Leveraging his extensive combat and executive experience, he will bring the accountability, change, and engaged transformational leadership the Army so desperately needs at this time.”

The White House referred questions about Parnell’s future to the Pentagon.

Driscoll is looking to depart his role around the end of the year following a months-long influence battle with Hegseth, The Hill reported last week .

The Army secretary is open to resigning “around” Labor Day, but the White House wants him to stay at least through the November midterms, according to one source familiar with the deliberations, confirming an NBC News report published Tuesday.

Driscoll’s spokesperson declined to comment. NBC News reported the Army secretary was at the White House on Monday to discuss his future.

Parnell, who is also the chair of the Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel, has served as the top Pentagon spokesperson since February last year.

Prior to his stint at the Pentagon, Parnell, who was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart for his service during the Afghanistan War, ran for Congress twice.

Parnell was endorsed by President Trump during his Senate run in Pennsylvania, but withdrew from the race in November 2021 after losing a court fight over custody of his three children. The judge in that case said he believed allegations of abuse by Parnell’s estranged wife. Parnell has denied the allegations.

In 2020, Parnell lost to Connor Lamb for Pennsylvania’s 17th district House of Representatives seat.