Who will be the Pentagon's No. 2?

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National Security

The Big Story

Who will be the Pentagon's No. 2?

Eyes in Washington, D.C. are on four men who President-elect Trump may name as the next deputy defense secretary, with their roles ranging from long-tenured bureaucrat to private-equity investor to venture capitalist.

Among the names floated for the Pentagons's no. 2 position is David Norquist, himself a former deputy secretary of defense, and former Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie. Both men are veterans of Trump’s first administration.

Trump is also eyeing businessman Steve Feinberg — a billionaire investor who led the intelligence advisory board in the first Trump administration — and defense investor Trae Stephens, a partner at Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund venture-capital firm, The Wall Street Journal reported.

As a reminder — Trump surprised many by naming former Fox News personality and Army veteran Pete Hegseth as his choice for Defense secretary, but he is on shaky ground to becoming confirmed to the role with multiple reports of sexual impropriety and difficulties managing funds for two veterans groups.

The job of the deputy defense secretary is to make sure the Pentagon's day-to-day efforts go smoothly, the one who "makes sure the trains run on time," and works with industry rather than doles out policies, one defense-industry lobbyist told The Hill.

If the Defense secretary has no experience in the building, the Pentagon's No. 2, and who is picked for it, is all the more important, they added.

Trump also last week selected businessman John Phelan as his nominee to lead the Navy. Phelan, a major donor to the Trump campaign, leads the private investment firm Rugger Management and at one point handled Michael Dell’s investments.

The choices of Hegseth and Phelan indicate the incoming president wants disruptors — not long-time bureaucrats — to shake up the military services and the Pentagon as a whole.

This coming week: Watch for a potential announcement on who will be the second top civilian at the Pentagon. And on Capitol Hill, look for how lawmakers parse their words on Hegseth as indication of where his nomination chances are heading.

Read more at TheHill.com.

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