President-elect Donald Trump has announced his picks for key Pentagon positions, including deputy secretary of defense and undersecretaries for the policy, acquisition and sustainment and research and engineering offices. 

On Sunday, Trump’s team said in a press email that Stephen Feinberg, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Cerberus Capital Management, would serve as deputy defense secretary in Trump’s second term.

Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity firm that has made investments across a wide range of industries, including financial services, real estate, and military and defense,  previously owned the private military contractor DynCorp International, which was later bought by Amentum, another defense contractor.

Earlier this year, Cerberus Capital Management acquired Calspan’s hypersonic and defense test systems business units from TransDigm Group, and established North Wind, described as an “independent business centrally focused on the advancement of the United States’ hypersonic test capability through ground-based facility design, build and operations, testing, and analysis.”

Cerberus has also hired several former Defense Department officials, including retired Gen. Jay Raymond, who served as the first chief of space operations at the Space Force.

Feinberg also led the Intelligence Advisory Board, which provided advice on the effectiveness of the intelligence community, during Trump’s first term in the White House. Feinberg has no prior experience working at the Defense Department. 

In his announcement on Sunday, Trump said Feinberg is an “extremely successful businessman” and that he will “help Make the Pentagon Great Again.”

Feinberg would serve alongside Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for defense secretary. Hegseth, a former Fox News commentator and former Army National Guard officer, has faced hurdles in the Senate following sexual assault and  alcohol abuse allegations made against him.

If the Senate confirms him, Feinberg would replace Kathleen Hicks, who has been focused on key modernization efforts during her term as deputy secretary of defense, including the Replicator initiative, which promises to quickly deliver thousands of cheap drones into the hands of the warfighters.  

Last month, Trump tapped businessman John Phelan with no prior military experience to serve as the next secretary of the Navy.

In addition to the deputy defense secretary announcement, Trump’s team shared in the email that Michael Duffey, who served as an associate director of national security programs in the Office of Management and Budget during Trump’s first term, would be the Pentagon’s under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. 

Duffey has previously served as the deputy chief of staff to the defense secretary and the chief of staff to the under secretary of defense for research and engineering.

“Mike has been a strong advocate for our Warfighters and the American Taxpayer throughout his many years of public service, including in the Department of Defense, and the Office of Management and Budget of my First Administration,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will drive change at the Pentagon and, as a staunch proponent of an America First approach to our National Defense, will work to revitalize our Defense Industrial Base, and rebuild our Military.”

Trump also named businessman Emil Michael to serve as the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. 

Michael was the senior vice president of business and chief business officer at Uber, a ride-sharing company, from 2013 to 2018. In 2012, he was the chief operating officer of Klout, an app that measured users’ online social influence. He also served as special assistant to Defense Secretary Robert Gates during the Obama administration.

“Emil has lived the American Dream by building several successful Tech companies, including Uber. Emil will ensure that our Military has the most technologically sophisticated weapons in the World, while saving A LOT of money for our Taxpayers,” Trump said in a statement. 

President-elect also tapped Elbridge Colby to serve as undersecretary for policy at the Defense Department. Colby served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development during Trump’s first administration and played a key part in developing the 2018 National Defense Strategy.

Trump said Colby will “work closely with my outstanding Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to restore our Military power, and achieve my policy of PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”

In addition, Joe Kasper was tapped to serve as chief of staff for the defense secretary. Trump also named Keith Bass to be assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. Bass previously led the White House Medical Unit, which provides medical care to the president and other top officials. 

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