Darin Selnick
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox politician
| image = Darin S. Selnick.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2025
| birth_place =
| office = Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
| term_start = January 20, 2025
| term_end = March 17, 2025
| predecessor = Ashish Vazirani (acting)
| successor = Jules W. Hurst III (acting)
| residence = Oceanside, Californiahttps://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AQURCSSWP/
| status =
| allegiance = United States
| branch = United States Air Force
| serviceyears = 1985-1992
| rank = Captain
| battles = Gulf War
| unit = 1022d Combat Crew Training Squadron
}}
Darin Selnick is an American public official and Air Force veteran who served in high-ranking roles at the Pentagon until his suspension on April 15, 2025.
Early life, education, and military service
Selnick served in the U.S. Air Force from 1985-1992, attaining the rank of Captain.{{Cite web |title=Darin Selnick |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/darin-selnick-a0419b5}} During Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, he served at Falcon Air Force Base as part of the 1022d Combat Crew Training Squadron.{{Cite web |title=Darin Selnick |url=https://nmajmh.org/stories/american-jewish-service-members-in-the-gulf-war-2/darin-selnick/?srsltid=AfmBOooIdB3TkgaOPwDhdppRq5fwtiYJl6YXnw-7m6bU61hVSK-MeRyn |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=National Museum of American Jewish Military History |language=en-US}}
Career
From 2001 to 2009, Selnick was an appointee at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Selnick was appointed the Director of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives for the Department of Veterans Affairs in July 2004.{{Cite web |title=Archive: White House Office of Faith - Based and Community Initiatives and the Agency Centers |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/fbci/wh-agency-bios.pdf}}{{Cite web |title=VA Opens Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives - VA News |url=https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-opens-center-for-faith-based-and-community-initiatives/ |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=news.va.gov |language=en-US}} He also served as VA liaison to the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Special Assistant to the Secretary, and Associate Dean, VA Learning University.{{Cite web |title=Darin Selnick Biography |url=https://docs.house.gov/meetings/VR/VR03/20241217/117761/HHRG-118-VR03-Bio-SelnickD-20241217.pdf}}{{Cite web |date=October 2018 |title=10th Annual Texas Veterans Higher Education Symposium |url=https://www.utsystem.edu/sites/default/files/offices/academic-affairs/10th%20Annual%20Texas%20Veterans%20Higher%20Education%20Symposium%20Program_For%20Web.pdf}}
Selnick was a Commissioner on the Commission on Care, which was established by Congress to examine how VA can better deliver health care to veterans.
From 2017 to 2018, Selnick worked as the Veterans Affairs Advisor on the Domestic Policy Council at the White House. From 2018 to 2019, he served as a senior advisor to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).{{Cite web |last=Arnsdorf |first=Isaac |date=March 12, 2018 |title=The Trump Administration's Campaign to Weaken Civil Service Ramps Up at the VA |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/veterans-affairs-the-trump-administration-campaign-to-weaken-civil-service-ramps-up |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=ProPublica |language=en}} During his tenure with the VA, Selnick came under scrutiny for incurring travel costs to Washington, DC while living in California.{{Cite web |last=Arnsdorf |first=Isaac |date=February 20, 2019 |title=The VA is paying for a top official's cross-country commute |url=https://www.salon.com/2019/02/20/the-va-is-paying-for-a-top-officials-cross-country-commute_partner/ |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=Salon |language=en}}
Selnick was a senior adviser to Concerned Veterans of America from 2019 to 2024.{{Cite web |date=March 10, 2024 |title=VA have gone 'totally woke': Darin Selnick {{!}} Fox News Video |url=https://www.foxnews.com/video/6348622000112 |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Third Pentagon official implicated in DoD leak probe |url=https://www.legion.org/information-center/news/security/2025/april/third-pentagon-official-implicated-in-dod-leak-probe |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=The American Legion |language=en}} He has contributed opinion pieces to several media outlets, including Fox News and The Hill.{{Cite web |date=August 19, 2024 |title=Kamala Harris wants to be commander in chief. Here's what's on her (short) resume. |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/4833164-kamala-harris-military-record/}}{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2025 |title=undefined |url=https://www.foxnews.com/person/s/darin-selnick |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}
In January 2025, Selnick was named Senior Advisor to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.{{Cite web |title=New Officials Sworn-in at the Department of Defense |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4035130/new-officials-sworn-in-at-the-department-of-defense/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250317225554/https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4035130/new-officials-sworn-in-at-the-department-of-defense/ |archive-date=March 17, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=U.S. Department of Defense |language=en-US}} After temporarily serving as Performing the Duties of (PTDO) Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, he was named deputy chief of staff to the Secretary.{{Cite web |title=Darin Selnick |url=https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/4051686/darin-selnick/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250323003027/https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/4051686/darin-selnick/ |archive-date=March 23, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=U.S. Department of Defense |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Vincent |first=Brandi |date=March 5, 2025 |title=DOD releases new guidance on 'situational telework' |url=https://defensescoop.com/2025/03/05/dod-new-guidance-situational-telework-trump-administration/ |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=DefenseScoop |language=en-US}}
In February 2025, Selnick sought to remove transgender people from the U.S. military, stating that "medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service."{{Cite web |date=February 27, 2025 |title=Transgender troops are now being identified for removal under Pentagon orders |url=https://apnews.com/article/transgender-military-trump-ban-troops-deb9e388ff588d9d25fb0d8cc58e540f |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=AP News |language=en}}
= April 2025 suspension =
On April 14, 2025, Selnick was suspended and placed on administrative leave.{{Cite web |last=Andrea Margolis |first=Jennifer Griffin |date=April 15, 2025 |title=Pentagon deputy chief of staff is second Hegseth advisor removed amid DOD leak probe |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pentagon-deputy-chief-staff-second-hegseth-advisor-removed-amid-dod-leak-probe |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}} At the time of his suspension, Reuters reported that Selnick was suspended as part of a Pentagon investigation into leaks of classified and sensitive information.{{Cite web |date=April 16, 2025 |title=Pentagon leak probe expands as two more officials put on leave |website=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-leak-probe-expands-two-more-officials-put-leave-2025-04-16/}} A senior DOD official confirmed that Selnick was placed on leave for "unauthorized disclosures."
On April 19, 2025, Selnick released a joint statement with Dan Caldwell and Colin Carroll, who were also fired, calling attacks against them "baseless" and expressing their continued support for the Trump-Vance administration.{{Cite web |last=Limon |first=Elvia |date=April 19, 2025 |title=Three fired Pentagon officials say they've been 'slandered' by 'baseless attacks' from 'unnamed' officials |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5257461-three-fired-pentagon-officials-hegseth-statement/}} They also indicated that they had not been officially informed why they were fired.{{Cite web |date=April 19, 2025 |title='Unconscionable': 3 former Pentagon officials say they don't know why they were fired |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/19/pentagon-firings-turmoil-hegseth-00299815 |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}
Personal life
Selnick is married and lives in California.{{Cite web |last=Arnsdorf |first=Isaac |date=February 20, 2019 |title=The VA is paying for a top official's cross-country commute |url=https://www.salon.com/2019/02/20/the-va-is-paying-for-a-top-officials-cross-country-commute_partner/ |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=Salon |language=en}} He is Jewish.