Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s nominee for Army chief of staff could struggle to win confirmation because Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee oppose his candidacy, according to a report.

Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who commanded the famed 82nd Airborne Division, has served in the role in an acting capacity since Hegseth controversially fired the popular Gen. Randy George in April.

Hegseth had wanted to nominate LaNeve in May, The Wall Street Journal reports, but was informed at the time by the committee’s chairman, Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, that his man did not have the votes to win out.

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst and her GOP colleagues are reportedly concerned that LaNeve has only been a four-star general for six months, whereas most chiefs of staff have typically served at least 18 months at that rank before assuming the top role, the WSJ said.

Responding, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell told The Independent that Hegseth and the Department of Defense “stand behind Gen. LaNeve’s leadership as Acting Chief of Staff of the Army.

“The department will continue to work with the White House and the Senate to nominate and ultimately confirm President Trump’s pick to lead the United States Army.”

According to the WSJ, LaNeve’s rapid rise can in part be attributed to his reputation for discipline and in part to his making a strong impression on President Donald Trump during a video call with the president in January 2025, made while he was commanding the Eighth Army in South Korea.

“Is this man central casting, or what?” the president is said to have marveled at LaNeve’s square-jawed appearance on the call, a familiar expression of admiration from Trump.

The general was subsequently made a senior military aide to Hegseth on the recommendation of the retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg and then moved up to serve as Army vice chief after the secretary sidelined his predecessor, retired Gen. James Mingus. He was then promoted again after the dismissal Gen. George.

If Hegseth cannot get LaNeve confirmed on a permanent basis, he can simply keep him on as acting chief of staff indefinitely as there is no statutory time limit in play.

However, the Republican opposition is significant because it represents the latest example of resistance to the secretary’s will.

Hegseth endured a torrid time in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee last month when lawmakers on both sides of the aisle grilled him about the Iran war as he tried to make the case for receiving an additional $67 billion in funding to pursue a conflict that has already cost $37.5 billion.

Labelled a “failure” and accused of “gross negligence” by the senators, Hegseth was also heckled by protesters, who told him he had “blood on his hands.”

Two senior military officers subsequently came forward to say they believed they had been dismissed by the secretary as punishment for questioning his orders, speculating that he was “intimidated by people who have real warfighting background.”

North Carolina GOP Sen. Thom Tillis then expressed a lack of confidence in Hegseth’s leadership, saying he believed he had “a massive insecurity complex” and had led the U.S. into a fresh quagmire in the Middle East.

An “exasperated” Trump continues to ricochet between threatening Tehran with untold destruction and advocating for peace talks as he seeks an end to a war he started.

Hegseth is understood to favor further airstrikes while the likes of Vice President JD Vance and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine have reportedly questioned what that would achieve.