Republican Sen. Thom Tillis called on President Donald Trump to replace Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing the Pentagon chief of mismanaging the military and driving talented leaders out of the armed forces.
Tillis issued the blistering criticism Wednesday in a lengthy post on X that began by praising outgoing Army Secretary Dan Driscoll for his leadership.
“Dan Driscoll was the right man at the right moment to lead our Soldiers and Army civilians,” Tillis wrote.
The Wall Street Journal reported late last week that Driscoll is expected to leave his position before the end of the year following “months of tension” with Hegseth.
After thanking Driscoll, Tillis turned his focus to Hegseth and accused the defense secretary of failing to retain capable military leaders.
“If we had a [Defense secretary] 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 North Carolina Republican pointed to his experience on the Senate Armed Services Committee while delivering a sharp assessment of Hegseth’s management of the nation’s military personnel.
Tillis said he served on the committee for eight years and worked as either chairman or ranking member of its Personnel and Readiness subcommittee.
“I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country,” Tillis wrote.
The senator went on to accuse Hegseth of being threatened by capable officials and focusing on cultural disputes rather than the responsibilities of national defense.
“He is intimidated by competence and retreats to ginning up culture wars instead of soberly attending to the vital work of our national defense and the health and well-being of our fighting force,” Tillis said.
Tillis concluded his post with a direct appeal to Trump, urging the president to remove Hegseth and install new leadership at the Pentagon.
“I urge the President to find a new leader at the Pentagon who will retain and empower our military talent rather than diminish it,” he wrote.
The demand places Tillis among lawmakers from both parties who have called for Hegseth to be removed from his position.
Tillis’ comments also came as questions continued to surround personnel changes within the military’s senior ranks.
Earlier Wednesday, The Atlantic reported that Trump had “expressed concern” during a private meeting with Driscoll. According to the report, Driscoll went directly to the president and explained how many generals and other high-ranking officers had been fired, forced out or passed over for promotion during Hegseth’s tenure.
The reported conversation came as Driscoll prepared to depart following his period of tension with Hegseth, while Tillis publicly pressed Trump to find a Pentagon leader capable of retaining and empowering the military’s top talent.
