--- title: Meet Sean Parnell, Pentagon's Chief Spokesperson and Army Secretary Contender description: Here's what to know about Parnell's military record, his past controversies, and more. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/09/01/sean-parnell-chief-pentagon-spokesperson-driscoll-army-secretary-replacement-contender/ author: Tiago Ventura article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-09-01T18:08:59.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-09-01T18:11:13.602Z article:section: Politics og:title: Meet Sean Parnell, Pentagon's Chief Spokesperson and a Contender to Succeed Army Secretary Driscoll og:description: Here's what to know about Parnell's military record, his past controversies, and more. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/09/01/sean-parnell-chief-pentagon-spokesperson-driscoll-army-secretary-replacement-contender/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt58d18957f1ed9e5a/6a97028cf51dc70cbbfc956f/GettyImages-2291621397.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4362 og:image:height: 2454 og:image:alt: GettyImages-2291621397.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Meet Sean Parnell, Pentagon's Chief Spokesperson and a Contender to Succeed Army Secretary Driscoll twitter:description: Here's what to know about Parnell's military record, his past controversies, and more. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt58d18957f1ed9e5a/6a97028cf51dc70cbbfc956f/GettyImages-2291621397.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Meet Sean Parnell, Pentagon's Chief Spokesperson and a Contender to Succeed Army Secretary Driscoll  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Sep 1, 2026 6:08 PM UTC  Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, Commandant of the Marine Corps General Eric Smith, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on Aug. 26, 2026. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, Commandant of the Marine Corps General Eric Smith, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on Aug. 26, 2026.Andrew Harnik—Getty Images  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Sep 1, 2026 6:08 PM UTC Prior to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submitting his resignation Monday, Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell had been suggested by some close to Defense Secretary [Pete Hegseth](https://time.com/article/2026/09/01/trump-response-hegseth-run-for-president-2028-top-contenders/) as a potential replacement for the Senate-confirmed position. _The Hill_ [reported](https://thehill.com/policy/defense/6053812-hegseth-considers-parnell-army-secretary/) last week that Parnell’s name was being floated, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Asked about the reports, a senior Administration official told TIME: “Sean Parnell is 100% focused on the job he was appointed to by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.” News of Driscoll’s departure from the role he held for around 18 months came after months of [reported tensions with Hegseth](https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/31/politics/army-secretary-dan-driscoll-resigns) and turmoil within the department. According to [_the Atlantic_](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/hegseth-driscoll/688480/), a person familiar with Driscoll’s resignation said he had recently “brought up concerns with the Administration surrounding Army transformation and readiness and Hegseth’s blocking those efforts specifically by firing the generals who were responsible.” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly did not address the tensions and fallout when approached by TIME, but instead emphasized that the United States Army is “more powerful than ever thanks to \[Driscoll’s\] work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War.” Driscoll’s resignation is the latest in a series of high-profile departures within the Pentagon, following the April ouster of the Army’s top uniformed leader,[ Gen. Randy George](https://time.com/article/2026/04/03/hegseth-army-firings-chief-of-staff/), and the June departure of the lead commander in Europe and Africa,[ Gen. Christopher Donahue](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/24/army-general-christopher-donahue-leaves). The[ Washington _Post_](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/04/07/hegseth-dan-driscoll-army/) reported that Hegseth had sought to remove George several times and that Driscoll had previously blocked or delayed those efforts, arguing that George had done nothing wrong and should be judged on merit. Driscoll openly praised George, referring to him as “an amazing, transformational leader” whom he loved and respected during an April[ House Appropriations Committee Hearing](https://youtu.be/Pkgzso9sx%5FU?t=3362). Alongside the reported tensions, Hegseth has also come under serious scrutiny for the duration and mounting cost of the [Iran war](https://time.com/article/2026/08/31/us-iran-strikes-larak-island/), which surpassed the six-month mark last week. “I don’t have any confidence in him anymore. I think he’s all over the place—he’s accelerating the retirement or forcing out some of the most distinguished leaders in the DOD that we have,” Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina[ said](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5989578-senate-rnc-defense-leadership-crisis/) in July. Meanwhile, under Parnell, the Department of Defense has imposed various restrictions limiting journalists’ access in the Pentagon. In an unprecedented move in June, the department designated its press office a classified area. “The Pentagon Press Office has been redesignated as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility due to speechwriters from the Office of the Secretary of War sharing the facility,” [said](https://x.com/JoelValdezDOW/status/2061546760116588815?s=20) deputy Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez. “As a result, journalists will no longer be permitted to enter the office space. There’s nothing controversial about that.” Now, with talk turning to who may replace Driscoll in the pivotal role of Army Secretary, Parnell's name continues to be floated. Notably, whoever is selected would need to be confirmed for the position by the Senate. Here’s what to know about Parnell, his military record, past controversies, and more. ### Parnell is an Afghanistan veteran who penned a memoir on his experience Parnell arrived in Afghanistan in [2006](https://www.army.mil/article/74841/outlaw%5Fformer%5Finfantry%5Fofficer%5Fshares%5Fexperiences%5Fpledges%5Fto%5Fhelp%5Fothers) and during his 16-month deployment was awarded two Bronze stars and the [Purple Heart.](https://www.uso.org/stories/2276-8-purple-heart-facts) He was deployed alongside his platoon, nicknamed the Outlaws. He [returned home](https://www.army.mil/article/74841/outlaw%5Fformer%5Finfantry%5Fofficer%5Fshares%5Fexperiences%5Fpledges%5Fto%5Fhelp%5Fothers) with shrapnel in his leg and a brain injury that had left him with vision problems. Following retirement on medical grounds, he penned a 2012 war story memoir titled [_Outlaw Platoon_](https://www.harpercollins.com/products/outlaw-platoon-sean-parnelljohn-bruning?variant=32207492907042), in partnership with author John R. Bruning, detailing his experiences in the region. Parnell went on to become a senior advisor for the Concerned Veterans of America and is [credited](https://www.war.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/4263860/sean-parnell) with playing a key role in the passage of the [Mission Act](https://www.legion.org/information-center/news/dispatch/2018/june/president-signs-va-mission-act) in 2018 under President Donald Trump, with the goal of delivering care and support for U.S. veterans. ### Parnell previously criticized Trump before becoming a staunch supporter Parnell backed now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination [where he faced off against Trump,](https://time.com/4257108/marco-rubio-florida-donald-trump/) who went on to win both the nomination and presidency. According to Parnell, his support for Rubio, who at the time was a Senator in Florida, was cemented by his vocal backing of matters related to Veterans Affairs (VA). “There are lots of strong options. But if fixing the VA, rebuilding our military, and doing right by our veterans is a top priority for you, then Senator Rubio should be your first and only choice,” Parnell [said](https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/rubio-campaign-press-release-this-major-leader-veterans-issues-just-endorsed-marco-rubio) in a campaign press release. In a separate interview, he [described](https://youtu.be/p520hu3YGWg?t=62) Rubio as a "unifying voice” who the country “desperately needs” and labeled him “my guy.” By contrast, Parnell had called out Trump in 2015, [referring to](https://x.com/SeanParnellUSA/status/622549057731448832?s=20) his criticism of the late Republican Sen. John McCain, a prisoner of war, as “the height of arrogance,” arguing that Trump had “no clue what our Vietnam POWs endured.” However, Parnell had a change of heart once Trump took office, stating in a 2019 interview [that](https://www.witf.org/2019/10/31/sean-parnell-criticizes-lamb-at-republican-reception-after-announcing-congressional-bid/) the President had earned his respect “because he forces us to talk about issues. Political correctness doesn’t allow us to talk about them.” At the 2020 Republican National Convention, Parnell further praised Trump, [insisting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=159&v=jLdXtAL76KI&feature=youtu.be) he had “unleashed the economic might of this nation like no other President in our history.” ### Parnell suspended his campaign for Senate amid abuse allegations Parnell, after running unsuccessfully for the House in 2020, went on to launch a bid as the GOP Senate candidate in Pennsylvania. He [suspended his Trump-backed campaign](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republican-sean-parnell-suspends-us-senate-campaign-pennsylvania-2021-11-22/) in November 2021, after losing a fight for custody of his children to his then-estranged wife, who had accused him in court of abuse. Laurie Snell had alleged that Parnell choked her and injured their children. Parnell vehemently denied the claims. Snell also testified in court that Parnell had been unfaithful. Following Trump’s [announcement](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113942594933209212) in February 2025 that Parnell was tapped to become chief spokesperson for the Pentagon, some media coverage saw the abuse allegations [revisited](https://keystonenewsroom.com/news/politics/sean-parnell-pentagon-spokesperson/). If Parnell were put forward for a Senate-confirmed position in the future, the historical allegations could be brought up in his confirmation hearing. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/09/01/sean-parnell-chief-pentagon-spokesperson-driscoll-army-secretary-replacement-contender/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/09/01/sean-parnell-chief-pentagon-spokesperson-driscoll-army-secretary-replacement-contender/"},"headline":"Meet Sean Parnell, Pentagon's Chief Spokesperson and a Contender to Succeed Army Secretary Driscoll","datePublished":"2026-09-01T18:08:59.000Z","dateModified":"2026-09-01T18:11:13.602Z","description":"Here's what to know about Parnell's military record, his past controversies, and more.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/09/01/sean-parnell-chief-pentagon-spokesperson-driscoll-army-secretary-replacement-contender/","keywords":["Army","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt58d18957f1ed9e5a/6a97028cf51dc70cbbfc956f/GettyImages-2291621397.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tiago Ventura","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt58d18957f1ed9e5a/6a97028cf51dc70cbbfc956f/GettyImages-2291621397.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"GettyImages-2291621397.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Andrew Harnik—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/army/","name":"Army"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/09/01/sean-parnell-chief-pentagon-spokesperson-driscoll-army-secretary-replacement-contender/","name":"Meet Sean Parnell, Pentagon's Chief Spokesperson and a Contender to Succeed Army Secretary Driscoll"}}]}] ```