Richard Sean Parnell is a former United States Army Captain and author currently serving as the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs since February, 2025.[2] He was the Republican nominee for Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district in 2020.[3]
Sean Parnell[1] | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs | |
| Assumed office February 3, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Chris Meagher |
Secretary | Pete Hegseth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 1981 (age 44–45) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Melanie Parnell (2023-present) |
| Children | 3 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
Years of service | 2004–2010 |
| Rank | Captain |
Early life and education
editRichard Sean Parnell was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[4] After serving in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2010, he pursued undergraduate studies at Clarion University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Duquesne University, as well as graduate education at Duquesne University.[4]
Military service
editAfter receiving his commission through the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at Duquesne University, Parnell led 3rd Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.[5] The company was based near the Pakistani border in Barmal District of Paktika Province on an extended 16-month deployment. After the deployment, Parnell was awarded two Bronze Star Medals and a Purple Heart.[6] Parnell left active duty as a lieutenant and was discharged as a captain from the Individual Ready Reserve. He authored the book Outlaw Platoon with John R. Bruning based on his experiences.
Political career
editParnell ran for Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district in 2020, narrowly losing to Democratic incumbent Conor Lamb.[3][7]
The following year, Parnell announced he would run in the 2022 Republican primary for Pennsylvania's open senate seat. He was endorsed by Donald Trump.[8] Parnell suspended his candidacy in November 2021, amid allegations, by his estranged wife, that he had abused her and her children[9][10]
In February 2025, President Trump announced via Truth Social that Parnell would serve as the chief Pentagon spokesman under his administration.[11] In addition to his primary role as assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, Parnell also serves as a senior advisor to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.[12] In April 2026, New York Post and The Hill reported that Parnell has privately expressed interest in the position of Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll, amid rumors of tension between Driscoll and Hegseth.[13][14]
Electoral history
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Conor Lamb | 222,253 | 51.1 | |
| Republican | Sean Parnell | 212,284 | 48.9 | |
| Total votes | 434,537 | 100.0 | ||
Bibliography
editNonfiction
edit- Outlaw Platoon: Heroes, Renegades, Infidels, and the Brotherhood of War in Afghanistan (2013) (ISBN 978-0062066404)
Fiction
edit- Man of War: An Electrifying Military Thriller Full of Intrigue and International Espionage (2018) (ISBN 978-0062668806)
- All Out War: A Novel (2019) (ISBN 978-0062668837)
- One True Patriot: A Novel (2020) (ISBN 978-0062986597)
- Left for Dead: A Novel (2021) (ISBN 978-0062986634)
References
edit- ↑ "S2PA00505: About this candidate". Federal Election Commission. July 28, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
- ↑ Benen, Steve (May 28, 2025). "Explainer: Hegseth's Pentagon chooses a controversial new spokesperson, ignoring bipartisan concerns". MSNBC. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
- 1 2 "Sean Parnell for Congress". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 27, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
- 1 2 "Sean Parnell (Pennsylvania)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ↑ Michelle Kennedy (March 1, 2012). "Outlaw: Former infantry officer shares experiences, pledges to help others". U.S. Army. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
- ↑ Torsten Ove (February 26, 2012). "'Outlaw Platoon': Murrysville native describes the Afghan war he fought". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
- ↑ "Pennsylvania's 17th Congressional District election, 2020". Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Bradner, Eric (September 1, 2021). "Trump endorses Parnell in Pennsylvania Senate race | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Trump-backed Parnell loses custody battle, suspends campaign". AP News. November 22, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
- ↑ Warren, Sara Murray,Michael (November 22, 2021). "Republican Sean Parnell suspends candidacy for Pennsylvania Senate seat | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Sean Parnell picked to serve as chief Pentagon spokesperson in Trump administration - CBS Pittsburgh". www.cbsnews.com. February 4, 2025. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Sean Parnell Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs and Senior Advisor". www.war.gov. January 20, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
- ↑ Nelson, Steven (April 3, 2026). "Hegseth's 'paranoia' of being replaced explains purge of top general — as ally emerges for Army secretary's role". New York Post. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
- ↑ Timotija, Filip (April 9, 2026). "Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll battle for influence inside the Pentagon". The Hill. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Pennsylvania Election Results: 17th Congressional District". The New York Times. November 3, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2025.