The Pentagon has appointed four new senior advisers as part of an internal restructuring following the departure of several top staffers in the office of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The leadership changes come amid internal disputes and scrutiny over the handling of sensitive information.
The new advisers include Colonel Ricky Buria, a former junior military assistant; Justin Fulcher, a member of the DOGE tech team; Patrick Weaver, formerly a special assistant at the Department of Defense; and Sean Parnell, who has been promoted to assistant to the secretary of defense and senior adviser.
These appointments follow the resignation or removal of five previous advisers, some of whom were accused of leaking information—claims they have denied. In addition, former chief of staff Joe Kasper has opted to leave the Pentagon entirely and return to the private sector.
Officials have described these changes as part of standard workforce adjustments. However, the current lack of a chief of staff could pose challenges for managing the Department of Defense, which oversees approximately three million personnel worldwide.
Some of the newly appointed advisers have limited prior experience in government. Parnell has a military background and has run for public office; Fulcher joined the Pentagon from the tech sector; and Weaver previously worked at the Department of Homeland Security during the previous administration. Kingsley Wilson, 26, who had served as deputy press secretary, will now serve as acting press secretary.
Traditionally, roles such as Pentagon spokesperson and chief of staff have been filled by individuals with extensive backgrounds in the military, legislative affairs, journalism, or the private sector. The absence of such profiles has raised concerns about the department’s operational stability.
The White House is currently considering potential candidates to replace the secretary of defense. In the meantime, efforts are underway to stabilize internal operations amid rising demands and delayed decisions.
