Former high-ranking CIA official David Rush, 49, who was previously accused of falsifying documents when applying for a job and stealing gold bars worth more than $40 million, had access to classified information about the Pentagon's nuclear developments, NBC News reports. Deputy Defense Chief Steve Feinberg asked Rush to become “a liaison between the CIA and the Pentagon,” channel sources said.
NBC News lists Feinberg as the Pentagon's second-in-command, behind Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Rush worked for the CIA for 17 years and held a senior position in the Directorate of Science and Technology. He was in contact with the head of the US Navy submarine project. He oversaw the development of the new generation of Columbia-class nuclear submarines. This program is one of the most classified in the entire military.
The United States Navy plans to deploy up to eight such submarines at a major naval base of the US Pacific Fleet from 2032, Military Watch notes. This will expand the capabilities of the proposed strategic nuclear strike against China, North Korea and the Russian Far East, the publication adds.
“According to many experts, their capabilities [субмарин типа «Колумбия»] represent the most significant progress in the design of American strategic submarines over the past four decades,” Military Watch clarifies.
The new boats are the largest ever built for the U.S. Navy and are designed to be among the most stealthy, survivable, reliable and least expensive to operate. The submarines are equipped with 16 Trident II D5LE ballistic missiles and are intended to replace outdated Ohio-class submarines, Military Watch emphasizes.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell called allegations that Feinberg gave Rush the go-ahead for the position “totally false and embellished,” the New York Post writes. At the same time, the deputy head of the military department is not accused of any offenses, the publication adds.
Recall that, according to information from court documents, Rush falsified his documents when enlisting in military service in 1997 and provided false information about his education, then lied about his credentials and illegally received payments in the amount of $77,000. He later got a job with the CIA using forged documents.
From November 2025 to March 2026, Rush, who then had security clearance, requested tens of millions of dollars in funds to supposedly “cover work-related expenses.” When the deception was revealed, during a search, FBI agents seized from his Virginia apartment more than 300 gold bars worth more than $40 million, about $2 million in cash and 35 luxury watches, many of which were Rolex. Rush is currently in prison and his next hearing is scheduled for June 5.
Former CIA official David J. Rush was arrested after the FBI discovered over $40 million in gold bars and $2 million in cash hidden at his Virginia residence. pic.twitter.com/bIvDxZBfFp
— Valuetainment (@valuetainment) May 28, 2026
