Hegseth’s Top Pick For Army Chief Of Staff Struggling To Get Republican Support: Report

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s nominee for Army main of unit could struggle to triumph confirmation because Republicans connected nan Senate Armed Services Committee oppose his candidacy, according to a report.

Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who commanded nan famed 82nd Airborne Division, has served successful nan domiciled successful an acting capacity since Hegseth controversially fired nan celebrated Gen. Randy George successful April.

Hegseth had wanted to nominate LaNeve successful May, The Wall Street Journal reports, but was informed astatine nan clip by nan committee’s chairman, Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, that his man did not person nan votes to triumph out.

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst and her GOP colleagues are reportedly concerned that LaNeve has only been a four-star wide for six months, whereas astir chiefs of unit person typically served astatine slightest 18 months astatine that rank earlier assuming nan apical role, nan WSJ said.

Responding, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell told The Independent that Hegseth and nan Department of Defense “stand down Gen. LaNeve’s activity arsenic Acting Chief of Staff of nan Army.

“The section will proceed to activity pinch nan White House and nan Senate to nominate and yet corroborate President Trump’s prime to lead nan United States Army.”

According to nan WSJ, LaNeve’s accelerated emergence tin successful portion beryllium attributed to his estimation for subject and successful portion to his making a beardown belief connected President Donald Trump during a video telephone pinch nan president successful January 2025, made while he was commanding nan Eighth Army successful South Korea.

“Is this man cardinal casting, aliases what?” nan president is said to person marveled astatine LaNeve’s square-jawed quality connected nan call, a acquainted look of admiration from Trump.

The wide was subsequently made a elder subject adjutant to Hegseth connected nan proposal of nan retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg and past moved up to service arsenic Army vice main aft nan caput sidelined his predecessor, retired Gen. James Mingus. He was past promoted again aft nan dismissal Gen. George.

If Hegseth cannot get LaNeve confirmed connected a imperishable basis, he tin simply support him connected arsenic acting main of unit indefinitely arsenic location is nary statutory clip limit successful play.

However, nan Republican guidance is important because it represents nan latest illustration of guidance to nan secretary’s will.

Hegseth endured a torrid clip successful beforehand of nan Senate Appropriations Committee past period erstwhile lawmakers connected some sides of nan aisle grilled him astir nan Iran war arsenic he tried to make nan lawsuit for receiving an further $67 cardinal successful funding to prosecute a conflict that has already costs $37.5 billion.

Labelled a “failure” and accused of “gross negligence” by nan senators, Hegseth was besides heckled by protesters, who told him he had “blood connected his hands.”

Two elder subject officers subsequently came guardant to opportunity they believed they had been dismissed by nan caput as reward for questioning his orders, speculating that he was “intimidated by group who person existent warfighting background.”

North Carolina GOP Sen. Thom Tillis past expressed a lack of confidence successful Hegseth’s leadership, saying he believed he had “a monolithic insecurity complex” and had led nan U.S. into a caller quagmire successful nan Middle East.

An “exasperated” Trump continues to ricochet betwixt threatening Tehran pinch untold demolition and advocating for bid talks arsenic he seeks an extremity to a warfare he started.

Hegseth is understood to favour further airstrikes while nan likes of Vice President JD Vance and Chairman of nan Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine person reportedly questioned what that would achieve.