Pentagon appoints new leadership team after key departures of officials

The Department of Defense announced Friday the addition of four new senior advisers to Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of an internal restructuring aimed at bolstering the leadership team amid recent changes within the institution.

The new appointments include Col. Ricky Buria, who previously held the position of deputy military assistant; Patrick Weaver, a former Department of Defense special assistant; and Justin Fulcher, a senior official in the Pentagon-based Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Sean Parnell's promotion was also confirmed, who until now served as Pentagon press secretary and will now assume the position of assistant secretary of defense for public affairs and senior adviser.

"Regular workforce adjustments are a feature of any highly efficient organization," acting Pentagon spokesman Kingsley Wilson said in announcing the changes. He added that Secretary Hegseth "will continue to be proactive with personnel decisions and will work hard to ensure the Department of Defense has the right people in the right positions to execute President Trump’s agenda."

Changes following several high-profile departures

The changes follow the departure of several high-profile officials. Among them are Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll and Darin Selnick, who left their posts after being singled out for allegedly leaking information, allegations they have denied. John Ullyot, Pentagon spokesman, also opted to retire recently.

Likewise, Joe Kasper, Secretary Hegseth's chief of staff, decided not to assume a new position and return to the private sector. However, he will continue to be linked to the government as a special employee.

While pressure is growing on the secretary of defense, these changes reflect an effort to quickly reorganize an office hit by distrust, leaks, and questions about handling classified information. Will it be enough to restore stability to the Pentagon? For now, the signs point to management being under constant surveillance.