The Senate approved on August 7 the nomination of Jules “Jay” W. Hurst III for Pentagon comptroller. 

Hurst served performed the duties as Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, preceding the current Undersecretary for P&R Anthony Tata.   He served in that role from March until July 2025 and also served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, before transitioning to the Pentagon Comptroller role. He  performed the duties of comptroller from August 2025 until May 2026, when the president nominated him for the position.  Before coming to the Pentagon, Hurst worked for House Speaker Mike Johnson.

As comptroller, Hurst will be the principal architect of Pentagon budgets and the department’s chief financial officer.

The Senate also confirmed Hal Duncan as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, making him the No. 2 official at the White House budget office.

Duncan, who has served as acting deputy director since late last year, previously worked in OMB’s legislative affairs office as associate director. The 2017 graduate of the University of Virginia has also served as legislative director for Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.