Senate Republicans Oppose Hegseth’s Pick for Army Secretary

Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Top Republicans have poured cold water on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s push to install one of his loyalists in a key Pentagon role.

Hegseth, 46, is desperate to appoint the department’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, 45, as Army Secretary despite the backlash Parnell has faced over censorship of the Pentagon press corps and allegations of domestic violence.

The post opened up after Dan Driscoll, 40, resigned at the end of August after months of tensions with Hegseth over the Defense Secretary’s repeated purges of top brass perceived as disloyal to the MAGA cause.

Republican North Dakota Sen.

Kevin Cramer is one who has shunned the idea of Parnell taking over the role.

“It’s hard for me to imagine that could possibly happen,” he told The Washington Sun on Friday.

“His record, particularly the spousal abuse stuff, is just a bridge too far for the vast majority of people.” Parnell has denied allegations, which emerged during his abortive 2021 run for Senate in Pennsylvania, that he had harmed his estranged wife, Laurie Snell, and their children.

She claimed during divorce proceedings that he strangled her on at least one occasion, and on two others, had hit their kids hard enough to leave marks.

Since Hegseth took office last year, Parnell has established himself as a faithful enforcer of the Defense Secretary’s agenda.

He has imposed tight restrictions on journalists reporting at the Pentagon, while defending Hegseth in the face of scandals that have included allegations of gross mismanagement, serious security breaches, and potential war crimes.

“It’s just simply not feasible,” a Senate Republican aide familiar with GOP lawmakers’ thinking told the Sun.

“Everyone knows the backing just isn’t there.” Republican Sen.

Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, was even more candid, pledging to vote against Parnell if his nomination goes ahead.

“If we’re going to have to have Hegseth in this role, I’d at least like to have more people around him that are going to be more independent and look around corners,” he told the newspaper.