Pete Hegseth Faces GOP Revolt as Senators Warn of 'Hollowing Out' at Pentagon

Pete Hegseth is facing a quiet but widening revolt among Republicans in Washington, with multiple GOP senators in the US Capitol telling colleagues this week that they no longer trust his leadership of the Pentagon at a time of war and warning of what one described as a 'hollowing out' of senior military ranks.

The news came after a turbulent few weeks inside the Defence Department, where Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has overseen the departure or dismissal of a string of top officers, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George in early April and Navy Secretary John Phelan last week. Several of those moves, according to Republicans familiar with internal discussions, were not signalled in advance to key lawmakers who had previously backed Hegseth's appointment.

For context, Hegseth, a former infantry officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard and a high‑profile media figure, was confirmed as defence secretary last year with support from most Senate Republicans. Even then, some in the party raised questions about his lack of experience running a vast bureaucracy. Those doubts have sharpened as senior staff turnover has accelerated and reports have emerged of internal feuds with long‑respected officers and civilian leaders.

Republican senators who spoke to The Hill on condition of anonymity said bluntly that Pete Hegseth would not be confirmed if his nomination came before them today. They pointed to what they see as persistent turmoil in senior ranks, as well as clashes with figures who enjoy deep reservoirs of goodwill on Capitol Hill.

One unnamed Republican senator said anxiety had grown over Hegseth's confrontations with senior commanders and civilian leaders with longstanding ties to Congress. The senator said colleagues were alarmed by what they view as the 'hollowing out of incredible leadership at the Pentagon', adding that matters 'came to a tipping point when Gen. George was dismissed'.

Pete Hegseth Under Fire Over Pentagon Shake‑Ups

Republican defence hawks have been especially critical of the reported pressure on Gen. Randy George to resign and the abrupt firing of Navy Secretary John Phelan. Both men were widely seen as steady hands at a time when US forces are engaged in a military conflict in Iran.

Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, was unusually blunt. She said she had 'the greatest admiration and respect for Gen. Randy George,' calling him 'one of the finest officers the United States Army has ever produced,' and concluded that it was 'a mistake for Secretary Hegseth to dismiss him.' Ernst added that she did not know the reason for George's removal.

Other Republicans questioned the way the decision was taken. Senators with oversight of the department told The Hill that George was pushed out while two senior officials who might have challenged the move, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Under Secretary of the Army Michael Obadal, were away from Washington. Driscoll later told the House Appropriations Defence Subcommittee that George's ouster was 'a real loss to us.'

Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, said he was caught by 'surprise' when he learned that Phelan had been fired. Phelan, Rounds noted, had been in the middle of arranging meetings with Republican lawmakers to discuss the annual defence policy bill when his job was suddenly terminated.

Behind the scenes, Republicans say those high‑profile departures sit on top of an already long list. Pete Hegseth has also removed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Defence Intelligence Agency director Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife. Some GOP senators now worry that other highly regarded generals could be nudged into retirement later in the year.

Experience, Style And A Growing Rift With Pete Hegseth

It can be recalled that even supporters of Hegseth's nomination had reservations about whether he was prepared to manage an institution as sprawling as the Pentagon. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who cast a pivotal vote to confirm him, is now openly questioning that judgement.

Tillis said Pete Hegseth had been responsible for managing '30 or 40 people' before taking the top job at the Defence Department, and contrasted that with the scale of the US military, which he described as 'much larger, much more complex than anything he's done.' He argued that Hegseth was making 'less‑than‑ideal personnel decisions' and said that, on technical and managerial skills, there was 'no question he's got a failing grade'.

In a pointed comparison, Tillis suggested Hegseth was showing, 'maybe not as extreme,' some of the same lack of experience that hurt former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The criticism speaks to a broader unease about what one anonymous Republican senator called Hegseth's 'unconventional and often brash leadership style.'

A running feud with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is a particular source of irritation for many Republicans, given Driscoll's close relationship with Vice President Vance and his solid reputation in the Senate. A second GOP senator said Driscoll was 'pretty well‑regarded' on the Hill and that the ongoing dispute was 'unhelpful to Hegseth.'

Not all the criticism centres on personnel. Some lawmakers have also questioned Hegseth's judgement on policy, including his recent decision to end the longstanding requirement for US service members to receive annual flu vaccines. Senate Armed Services Committee chair Roger Wicker of Mississippi called it 'a mistake,' and contrasted flu jabs, which he said had 'stood the test of time,' with COVID‑19 shots, which he described as 'largely experimental' during his service.

Pentagon Defends Reforms As Republicans Weigh Pete Hegseth's Future

The Pentagon, for its part, is trying to project calm. Chief spokesman Sean Parnell said Pete Hegseth would not comment on the nature of senior officers' departures, citing 'respect for uniformed officers.' In a statement to The Hill, Parnell stressed that all officials 'serve at the pleasure of the President' and argued that both the president and defence secretary 'deserve officers who fully and expeditiously embrace the priorities, policies, and objectives of this Administration.'

He added that it was 'extremely difficult to reform a department, particularly a department the size of DoW, with the same personnel who were a part of previous priorities' and said that 'necessary changes have been made and will continue to be made.'

Republican senators, even some of Hegseth's sharpest critics, have been careful to separate their concerns about leadership from their assessment of the troops themselves. They have praised the way US forces have handled operations against Iran and singled out the rescue of two downed airmen there as proof of what one lawmaker called the continued 'excellence of the nation's armed forces'.

Yet the political pressure is clearly building. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted against Hegseth's original nomination, said she was 'shocked' by George's removal, describing the general as one of the most impressive officers she had met and saying 'people are wondering what's going on over there'. With the US 'in the middle of a war', she added, 'we got to know that things are being managed' properly.

Several Republican senators are now privately urging Donald Trump to consider installing a new Pentagon chief, just as he has already moved to replace the leaders of the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department.

For now, though, Hegseth remains in post and is due to meet senior members of the Senate Armed Services Committee this week, followed by testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.

Nothing about his future is confirmed yet, so everything being murmured in Republican circles should be taken with a grain of salt. But as one senior Republican put it privately, the question hanging over Pete Hegseth is no longer whether there is a problem at the Pentagon, but how long the party is prepared to let it run.