Stephen Feinberg, Trump’s pick for deputy defense secretary, vows to ‘review the value’ of Replicator
President Donald Trump’s nominee to be deputy secretary of defense told lawmakers that he’ll prioritize and advance the U.S. military’s autonomous capabilities portfolio — a top priority under the prior administration.
However, the billionaire investor stopped short of revealing any immediate plans to disrupt the Pentagon’s ongoing Replicator initiative, which includes efforts to field thousands of uncrewed systems by August 2025.
“If confirmed, I will work with the appropriate stakeholders to review the value of initiatives like Replicator,” Feinberg wrote in response to advance policy questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee ahead of his confirmation hearing Tuesday.
That answer came after lawmakers’ inquiry into whether “a separate process like Replicator [is] needed within DOD to address the most pressing investment areas,” or if the existing acquisition and management mechanisms are sufficient to confront contemporary urgent needs.