A high-ranking Department of War official who reportedly disdains Vice President J.D. Vance is seeking to elevate a “true acolyte” of DEI ideology to a top position within the U.S. Army, Trump White House and Pentagon sources told The Federalist.
“People at the White House are pissed. People throughout the Department [of War] are pissed,” a senior Army official told The Federalist.
According to these sources, the DOW has submitted paperwork to the White House to replace Gen. James Mingus with Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve as vice chief of staff of the Army. LaNeve, one source noted, is not viewed favorably throughout the force and is a “true acolyte” of the destructive DEI ideology that wreaked havoc on the military under the Biden administration.
“The general view of LaNeve is that he is basically being vindictive against the Army for some perceived slights that are very petty in nature,” said the senior Army official.
While serving as commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division in June 2023, LaNeve notably authored a memo commemorating “pride month” and the “achievements and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community, to include service in defense of our nation.”
“It is a time to remember our progress, and it’s also time for the Nation to acknowledge the challenges that remain and to reaffirm our commitment to equality for all,” LaNeve wrote.
The memo included references to the Stonewall riots and Supreme Court decisions that “struck down regressive laws, affirmed the right to marriage equality, and secured workplace protections for LGBTQ+ individuals in every State and Territory.” It also incorporated mentions of pro-LGBT legislation and then-President Barack Obama’s signing of a bill repealing the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
“From the founding fathers of our nation through the Global War on Terrorism, LGBTQ+ service members have fought with pride to defend our rights and freedoms,” LaNeve wrote. “As the Division commemorates Pride Month, we reaffirm our commitment to care for each other and cultivate an environment where all Paratroopers can achieve their highest potential. We appreciate the contributions of the LGBTQ+ Paratroopers and understand that inequity and discrimination undermine diversity’s strategic advantage and our core mission.”
LaNeve’s infatuation with DEI ideology stands in stark contrast to the “absolute killer” nature of Mingus, according to the aforementioned Army official, who described the general as a “strategic thinker” and “critical” to the “transformational efforts” the Army is trying to implement.
“He is somebody that we absolutely need in Army leadership,” the official added.
When pressed on why Mingus is being forced out of the position, the senior Army official replied, “Ricky wants him out.”
“Ricky” is in reference to retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Ricky Buria, who currently serves as acting chief of staff to War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Sources told The Federalist that it is Buria who is driving the efforts to replace Mingus with LaNeve.
Initially starting out as a junior military assistant to Hegseth, Buria has become an increasingly polarizing figure within the Trump administration as his role within the Pentagon has grown.
Back in May, the New York Post reported comments from numerous administration officials that Buria — a “rare Biden administration holdover” — is an “internal critic of Vice President JD Vance’s” foreign policy views, purportedly calling them “‘wackamamie crazy’ and ‘isolationist.’” He has “also slammed President Trump’s use of the military for immigration enforcement as ‘dumb,’” according to the outlet.
“Ricky Buria is like an annoying skin rash that won’t go away. Nobody knows why he still has a job, especially when Trump has given direct orders for him to be reassigned,” a Trump White House official told The Federalist.
The Post and other publications have reported that the White House has rejected the Pentagon’s efforts to formally appoint Buria as Hegseth’s chief of staff due to concerns about him being at odds with the president and vice president’s agenda.
“The Deep State is alive and thriving and it’s apparent within the walls of the Pentagon,” the White House official said. “The War Department would be better served with someone who actually believes in the Trump Doctrine, not someone who is undermining his agenda from within. [Buria] is effectively the Shadow Secretary of War who runs the entire department, which is a terrible thing for this country.”
The Pentagon did not respond to The Federalist’s immediate request for comment.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
