WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is working to “lock in” Gen. Christopher LaNeve’s nomination for Chief of Staff of the Army, in the wake of reports that some Senate lawmakers would be hesitant to confirm the former military aide to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the job.
The Pentagon’s focus on LaNeve’s confirmation also comes amid reports that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll could leave his post as the service’s top civilian as soon as the beginning of next month — potentially setting up a situation where the top two roles in the Army lack Senate-confirmed individuals.
LaNeve “has the complete and total trust of [Defense] Secretary [Pete] Hegseth. As we have made clear, we are actively coordinating with our Senate partners to lock in the optimal moment to formally submit his nomination, and we intend to do so,” Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement to Breaking Defense today.
LaNeve, the service’s vice chief of staff, is also serving as acting chief of staff after replacing Gen. Randy George, who was abruptly fired by Hegseth in April. LaNeve has yet to be formally nominated by President Donald Trump for the Army chief position.
According to The Wall Street Journal, in addition to expected Democratic opposition, LaNeve’s Senate confirmation is not fully supported by some Republican lawmakers, including Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst. The Journal reported earlier this month that Ernst is hesitant to confirm LaNeve partly due to the fact he’s only held the rank of four star for about six months. Typically, chiefs have a four-star role for at least 18 months before serving in the top position.
