Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told people close to him that Sean Parnell would be his top choice for secretary of the Army, several senior officials told CBS News. 

Parnell is currently chief Pentagon spokesperson and a former Army officer.

A Defense Department spokesperson said: “The DOW [Department of War] doesn’t comment on private conversations between administration officials.”

The White House is looking at names for a replacement for Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who has submitted his resignation after months of tension with Hegseth. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles is leading the process to name his successor. 

It’s still unclear who is on President Trump’s shortlist for the job. 

Parnell is a veteran of Afghanistan, and has been honored with the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor. He returned home with shrapnel in his leg and a traumatic brain injury that caused vision problems and migraines. 

A former U.S. Senate candidate, Parnell is popular with top Pentagon officials. He’s known for pursuing projects to benefit military members that are outside the public affairs unit’s traditional portfolio, and regularly fields phone calls from undersecretaries looking for advice. 

Now a staunch supporter of Mr. Trump, Hegseth had once been critical him. In 2015, Parnell posted on social media after the then-presidential candidate criticized John McCain that Mr. Trump’s “attacks against @SenJohnMcCain are the height of arrogance & show that he has no clue what our Vietnam POWs endured.