Thom Tillis urges Donald Trump to fire Pete Hegseth
Summary
A social media post on Wednesday said United States Senator Thom Tillis urged President Donald Trump to fire Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, accusing him of creating a leadership void amid the war with Iran.
Digest
Al Jazeera Staff, 02 SEP 2026 — Thom Tillis contrasted Pete Hegseth with former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who submitted his resignation on Monday amid reported disagreements with Hegseth. Tillis accused Hegseth of inept management, said he focused on culture wars, and urged Donald Trump to appoint a Pentagon leader who would retain and empower military talent. Tillis, a Republican and increasingly vocal critic of some Trump policies, announced in June 2025 that he would not seek re-election in November’s congressional midterm polls. He had voted to confirm Hegseth early in Trump’s second term, after delaying confirmation of his support. Hegseth has pursued changes at the Pentagon, including limiting journalistic access and removing what he calls wokeness from the military. The article says those efforts included firing military leaders, blocking promotions, removing transgender service members and reviewing military academy admissions. Tillis questioned the focus on culture-war issues as warfare changes in Ukraine and Iran, and linked Driscoll’s departure to Hegseth’s management. Hegseth has faced scrutiny as the US struggles in the war on Iran, with reports of shrinking munitions stockpiles. The conflict has affected administration approval numbers, fuel prices and the wider Middle East, while a University of Massachusetts poll found that more than two-thirds of Americans disapproved of the administration’s handling of the war.
Production
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