Unknown Identification in Trump's Defense Squad: The Upcoming Secretary of Defense Remains Enigmatic
Fresh Take:
Donald Trump's Pentagon team is shaping up, but the position of Air Force Secretary remains a mystery. Here's what we know about the top picks for key roles in the Department of Defense (DoD) as of December 2022.
Deputy Secretary of Defense
Steve Feinberg is reportedly in line for the Pentagon's second-highest position, taking on the role of chief operating officer. Feinberg, a 64-year-old billionaire financier and co-founder of Cerberus Capital Management, has backed all three of Trump's presidential campaigns and served as the Intelligence Advisory Board Chair from 2018 to 2020. Like Trump's Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, he's a proud graduate of Princeton University.
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Elbridge "Bridge" Colby is rumored to lead the Pentagon's policy shop. A noted China hawk, Colby, 45, authored Trump's 2018 National Defense Strategy to identify China as the biggest threat to U.S. power. He spent eight years as an analyst and senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a bipartisan think tank with a historical tie to the Obama administration. Colby also founded the Marathon Institute, a think tank focused on strategic insights needed for great power competition.
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment
Mike Duffey has been tapped for the top acquisition job in the DoD. During Trump's first term, Duffey held positions in the Pentagon and the Office of Management and Budget. He's a grad from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and has a political background, having served as executive director of the Wisconsin Republican Party.
Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Emil Michael is slated to be the Pentagon's top technologist. Prior to leading Uber as its Chief Business Officer, he served as special assistant to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates during the Obama administration. Michael is an Ivy League alum, holding undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard and Stanford, respectively.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
Navy Cmdr. Keith Bass is expected to lead the charge for the health and medical care of military personnel as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. Bass previously led medical departments in NSA, CIA, and the White House Medical Unit.
Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary is still Pete Hegseth, facing controversy due to allegations of sexual impropriety, alcohol abuse, and overspending in his involvement with veteran organizations. Despite these allegations, Trump has stood by Hegseth, and potential resistance in Congress has waned in recent weeks.
In related news, Trump has announced Joe Kasper as Chief of Staff for the Secretary of Defense. Kasper, a Navy vet, previously served as special assistant to Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Acting Secretary Matt Donovan in 2019-2020.
Trump previously named John Phelan, a businessman donor with a Harvard MBA, as Navy Secretary and Daniel P. Driscoll, an Army vet and Yale Law School graduate, to lead the Army. Driscoll has served as a senior advisor to fellow Yale Law grad Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.
Rumors circulate that Andrew McKenna, CEO of investment firm McKenna & Associates and a licensed pilot, could be a potential nominee for Air Force Secretary. McKenna owns vintage aircraft (P-51 Mustang and T-6 Texan) and has flown with the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation.
As of 2023, a new nominee for Air Force Secretary, not mentioned in the original query, has yet to be publicized. Stay tuned for updates!
** bonus info:**Due to the passage of time, a new Secretary of the Air Force has been appointed since the original query, with Troy Meink confirmed by the Senate on May 13, 2025, and serving as the 27th Secretary of the Air Force.
- The position of Air Force Secretary is still uncertain within Donald Trump's Pentagon team, as of December 2022.
- Andrew McKenna, a licensed pilot and CEO of investment firm McKenna & Associates, is rumored as a potential nominee for Air Force Secretary.
- In addition to Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, who is facing controversy due to allegations of sexual impropriety, alcohol abuse, and overspending in his involvement with veteran organizations, Trump has also nominated John Phelan as Navy Secretary and Daniel P. Driscoll to lead the Army.
- The unnamed new nominee for Air Force Secretary has yet to be publicized as of 2023.
- Troy Meink was appointed as the Secretary of the Air Force and served as the 27th Secretary of the Air Force, confirmed by the Senate on May 13, 2025.
