By James Morley III
Thursday, May 21, 2026 — If confirmed by the Senate, Hurst would become the first Senate-confirmed chief financial officer for the Department of War since President Trump returned to office in January 2025.
Hurst has served as acting comptroller since August 2025, overseeing the Pentagon’s $1.5 trillion fiscal year 2027 budget request and a proposed $350 billion reconciliation package.
In April, Hurst defended the administration’s decision to include major defense priorities within the reconciliation measure, stating it would provide greater flexibility in how the Pentagon spends funds while accelerating emerging technologies. “We put a lot of high priority things in [reconciliation] for a variety of reasons,” he told reporters at the time. “If we use mandatory spending, we have some more flexibility on when we obligate those funds.”
Hurst clarified that reconciliation funding also supports “one-time plus up” priorities and fast-moving programs such as Golden Dome and the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG). He noted the Pentagon would revisit its budget request with Congress and the White House if the reconciliation bill fails to pass.
A former Army intelligence officer who deployed to Afghanistan four times, Hurst previously held roles as assistant secretary of defense for manpower and reserve affairs and acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. Before joining the Pentagon, he worked as legislative director and defense adviser to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Hurst recently briefed lawmakers on U.S. military operations in Iran, estimating costs at nearly $29 billion—up from $25 billion in April. He attributed the increase to updated repair, replacement, and operational expenses but emphasized it excluded damage repairs to air bases in the Middle East.
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience covering entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
