WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today chaired a hearing examining the nomination of Mr. Stephen A. Feinberg to be the next Deputy Secretary of Defense.

In his opening statement, Chairman Wicker discussed the catastrophic national security environment, in which China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are increasingly aligned. He added that Feinberg’s experience in the private sector offers an opportunity to advance an agenda prioritizing speed, accountability, and efficiency at the Department, and that Feinberg would play a key role in refocusing the Department on those values.

Chairman Wicker also raised his landmark defense policy reports – “21^st Century Peace Through Strength” and “Freedom’s Forge” as examples of the kind of work required to reform the Pentagon to restore our military and rebuild our defense industrial base.

Stephen Feinberg is the CEO of Cerberus Capital Management, one of the nation’s top private equity firms. Feinberg also served as Chairman of President Trump’s Intelligence Oversight Board, as well as Chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board from 2018 to 2021.

Read Senator Wicker’s opening statement as delivered below.

I thank our guest for being here. And we are here this morning to consider the nomination of Stephen Feinberg, who's been nominated to be Deputy Secretary of Defense.

If confirmed, Mr. Feinberg would join the Department of Defense during the most dangerous security environment since World War II. He would oversee the operations of the Department as it faces an emerging Axis of Aggressors. This dangerous coalition, which is characterized by military cooperation between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, presents a complex and far-reaching set of threats. Make no mistake: our enemies do not want a 21^st century defined by peace and prosperity for the American people.

Mr. Feinberg would be a crucial part of the team task with meeting those threats. Unfortunately, the defense investments we've made during the Cold War have long since evaporated. Defense spending is near record lows as a percentage of our gross domestic product, and all aspects of our military forces are now in dire need of repair or replacement.

Our Navy, once the envy of all seafaring nations, is now too small and too old to meet the growing demands of our combatant commanders. Our nuclear forces used to be the most robust and effective on the planet. Now they are decades older than their intended service lives. Our Air Force continues to shrink. We have yet to figure out how to scale innovative weapons into mass production. We have a $200 billion backlog in basic maintenance that leaves our troops living and working in substandard conditions — $200 billion just dealing with living and working conditions. And I could go on.

Clearly, there are many things that need fixing at the Department of Defense. Fortunately, Mr. Feinberg has spent his entire career fixing things. I believe he will make a very fine Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Mr. Feinberg ran a highly successful large organization for three decades, making him eminently qualified to run the Pentagon effectively. He brings extensive experience at the intersection of international economics and national security. Mr. Feinberg is remarkably attuned to the scope and scale of the challenges we face, as well as the opportunities we might exploit. His work on National Defense is significant, and has ranged from Subic Bay acquisition to counter-Huawei efforts, and from spectrum sharing to hypersonic testing.

Unlike the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy does not often make high-profile policy speeches or travel around the world to engage with allies and adversaries. I do not expect to see much of Mr. Feinberg in the news if he is confirmed. But make no mistake: the Pentagon cannot function without a capable Deputy.

In many ways, the Deputy runs the day-to-day operations of the department – driving the budget process, managing the principal staff assistance, and ensuring the Secretary of Defense is provided with data-driven and thoughtful options.

In Mr. Feinberg, President Trump has found a deputy who combines cutting-edge private sector skills with a thorough understanding of U.S. national security interests and the Department of Defense.

Today, we will hear Mr. Feinberg’s views on issues facing the Department of Defense. I look forward to his thoughts on my proposals. Last year I released a report entitled “21st Century Peace Through Strength.” I hope this can serve as a blueprint to reinvigorate and rebuild our military.

Additionally, I released a Pentagon reform and innovation plan called “Restoring Freedom’s Forge: American Innovation Unleashed.” I hope it brings much needed reforms and fundamentally changes the way the department does business. We must cut red tape and get better weapons to our troops faster, all while maximizing taxpayer dollars.

So, I thank Mr. Feinberg and his family and his friends for being here today. I believe he has a lot to offer as the Department of Defense directs its focus to lethality, efficiency, speed, and accountability.