Steve Feinberg
Deputy Secretary of Defense
Steven Andrew Feinberg was born in March 1960 in New York City. He earned an undergraduate degree from Princeton University. He worked as a trader for investment brokers to start his career.
Feinberg co-founded a very successful capital management company. He served on the Trump Economic Advisory Council during President Donald Trump’s campaign for his first term. President Trump appointed him as chair of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board in 2018.
Fienberg was nominated by President Trump to be U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense in December 2024. He was confirmed by the Senate and sworn into office in March 2025.
Feinberg is married to Gisela and they have three children.
In the News…
Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg released memorandums this month to move the defense secretary’s Workforce Acceleration and Recapitalization Initiative forward. The guidance calls on Pentagon officials to conduct an organizational review and implement an incentive program to reduce and consolidate the department’s civilian workforce.
Deputy Secretary Feinberg stated, “I will lead the DOD effort to rebalance and optimize its civilian workforce to urgently rebuild our military, revive the warrior ethos, and deliver maximum deterrence.”
The deputy secretary continued that the comprehensive review “should communicate potential opportunities to reduce or eliminate redundant or non-essential functions and include adjusted civilian manpower levels that reflect these projected changes.” He added, “Every civilian role should directly enable lethality, readiness, or strategic deterrence. If not, it should be reclassified, outsourced, or removed.”
