A Trump official, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, has landed in a controversy recently. According to the NY Times, Feinberg is being linked to former CIA officer David Rush. Rush was arrested in May 2026. The arrest came after federal agents found $40 million worth of gold bars inside his home in Virginia.

Reportedly, Feinberg and Rush initially met when they served on the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board during Trump’s first term. Feinberg, who is a billionaire founder of Cerberus Capital Management, was the chairman of the advisory board and advised the White House and intelligence agencies on intelligence collection and national security matters.

While the connection is tenuous and doesn’t suggest any wrongdoing on Feinberg’s part, it has added a layer of intrigue to an already sensitive case. Officials closely working on the matter also suggested that Rush and Feinberg did not appear to have worked closely together. Rush, 47, had been with the CIA for 17 years and held a senior role within the agency’s Directorate of Science and Technology. He was arrested on May 19, 2026, after FBI agents searched his house on May 18.

The case was referred to after the CIA’s internal review identified “potential violations of law.” His arrest was announced in a joint statement by the FBI and the CIA. The agencies also added that the investigation remains ongoing. According to court documents, Rush requested large amounts of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars’ worth of gold bars between November 2025 and March 2026. He received these in lieu of “work-related expenses.”

After this was brought to the CIA’s attention, they tried to verify the location of the assets. However, the officials could not locate the assets anywhere until they were led to Rush’s home. The NY Times confirmed that FBI agents found 303 gold bars at his home, and each weighed approximately 2.2 pounds. Additionally, they recovered roughly $2 million in cash and dozens of luxury watches, including Rolexes.

It is not yet known why the CIA issued 303 gold bars to Rush, or the purpose they intended to serve. The case has raised serious questions and significant concerns within the U.S. intelligence community.

Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have charged Rush with stealing public money. He was also accused of obtaining a fraudulently inflated salary, making false statements about his education and military service, and unduly claiming military leave benefits. Reportedly, the criminal complaint states that Rush falsely obtained degrees from Clemson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and other such institutions throughout his government career. The complaint also alleges that he misinformed officials about his military background, CBS News reports.

In 2018, he applied to enter the Senior Executive Service on false claims. He claimed to be a graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School and the current director of test for a 145-person, 18-aircraft joint Army/Navy weapons test organization. The complaint stated:

“The FBI’s investigation has revealed that Rush’s applications contained false information about his education background and work with the United States military.”