Senator Thom Tillis has called on President Donald Trump to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, blaming him for hollowing out military leadership as the Iran war drags into its seventh month.
The North Carolina Republican tore into Hegseth’s tenure, writing on X (formerly Twitter) that he has “never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country.” Tillis accused Hegseth of being “intimidated by competence” and prioritizing “culture wars” over national defense.
Republican senator asks Donald Trump to remove Pete Hegseth from Pentagon
The senator contrasted Hegseth with Dan Driscoll, the Army Secretary who resigned Monday after months of friction with the Pentagon chief. Driscoll’s leaving stripped the Army of its highest-ranking civilian leader while the U.S. fights a struggling war against Iran that began February 28. Tillis urged Trump to “find a new leader at the Pentagon who will retain and empower our military talent rather than diminish it.”
Additionally, Tillis voted to confirm Pete Hegseth early in Donald Trump’s second term despite public concerns about the former Fox News host’s treatment of women and thin national security resume.
His vote came at the last minute, signaling hesitation. Since then, Hegseth has fired top generals, blocked promotions, removed transgender service members, restricted press access, and launched a broad campaign against what he calls “wokeness” in the ranks.
Tillis zeroed in on that approach on Wednesday. He pointed to evolving warfare in Ukraine and Iran, arguing Driscoll understood that “the old way of doing business no longer applies.” The senator blamed Hegseth for Driscoll’s exit and the exodus of experienced flag officers.
“If we had a Secretary of Defense who maintained the same priorities and forward-thinking, he would be fighting to retain talented leaders like Dan and the many flag officers he has forced into retirement,” Tillis wrote. “Instead, he is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.”
The war has already battered the administration’s standing ahead of November’s congressional elections.
