The race to succeed Dan Driscoll as Army secretary has narrowed to at least four contenders, with Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell emerging as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's top pick, according to multiple sources familiar with the search.
Alongside Parnell, the field includes Assistant Secretary of the Army Marc Anderson, Assistant Secretary of Defense Derrick Anderson, and Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), an Army veteran who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sources told The Hill.
Driscoll's abrupt departure this week ended an 18-month tenure marked by aggressive modernization efforts but strained relations with Hegseth. His exit leaves the Army without a Senate-confirmed leader on either the civilian or uniformed side, following Hegseth's forced removal of Gen. Randy George as Army chief of staff in April.
President Trump on Thursday tapped Adam Telle, the assistant Army secretary for Civil Works, as acting secretary—a move that caught some officials off guard. Telle, a veteran Capitol Hill staffer and former chief of staff to Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), pledged in his first statement to apply “Trump Speed” to Army operations, focusing on efficiency in manning, training, equipping, and modernization.
It remains unclear when Trump will nominate a permanent successor or whether Telle could be elevated. However, multiple Pentagon insiders say Hegseth is firmly behind Parnell. “Every senior leader in [the] Pentagon knows that Secretary Hegseth's preferred pick is Sean Parnell,” a senior Pentagon official said. “Sean's well-respected across the Department, and viewed as a solid choice.”
Parnell, a decorated Afghanistan combat veteran with two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart, has support from senior White House officials and outside advisers. He has been in contact with the White House about the role, though a senior administration official denied that, saying Parnell is “100 percent focused on executing the job he has now.” The White House referred questions to Trump's Truth Social post announcing Telle.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles is leading the search, sources told CBS News. Parnell's political baggage—including a failed Senate bid and a custody dispute involving abuse allegations he denies—has already drawn fire from Democrats. Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), a West Point graduate, called Parnell “Liar-in-Chief for this disastrous war in Iran” and said he is “dangerously unfit for the job.”
Mast, a 12-year Army veteran, is also in the mix, though his removal from the House would shrink the GOP's slim majority. Some administration officials worry his vocal support for Israel could alienate the MAGA base. “Mast has already pitched himself to everyone in DC who will listen... he's a try-hard and largely viewed as out of touch with Trump supporters,” one official said.
Derrick Anderson, a former Virginia congressional candidate now serving as assistant Defense secretary for special operations, and Marc Anderson, the Army's financial management chief, are also mentioned as potential successors. Both have extensive executive experience.
The search comes amid broader turmoil at the Pentagon, with Hegseth facing GOP backlash over his leadership and the escalating Iran conflict. Some lawmakers, like Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), have called for Hegseth's removal, while critics warn that command shakeups are weakening the military. The Army's top generals are reportedly eager to work with Parnell, given his combat experience, but confirmation remains uncertain.
