'He Is Doing a Horrible Job': Republican Senator Calls on Trump To Sack Pete Hegseth Over 'Inept Management'

Tillis made the demand in a post on X on Wednesday 2 September 2026, two days after Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned amid months of reported tension with Hegseth.

The North Carolina senator, who cast a pivotal vote to confirm Hegseth last year, said the defence secretary was 'intimidated by competence' and had driven away some of the military's most capable leaders.

His comments represent an unusually direct call from a Republican senator for Trump to replace Hegseth

A Resignation That Reopened an Old Rift

Driscoll submitted his resignation to Trump on Monday after 18 months as Army Secretary. People familiar with the matter told CNN that he had raised concerns over Army transformation and readiness.

CNN reported that a person familiar with the matter said Driscoll raised concerns in his resignation about Hegseth 'blocking those efforts specifically by firing the generals who were responsible'.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly praised Driscoll on Monday, saying he had provided 'outstanding leadership during historic military operations' and had assisted with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Tillis linked Driscoll's departure directly to the earlier retirement of Gen. Randy George, the former Army chief of staff, whom Hegseth requested retire earlier this year.

'He and General George began a transformative period of innovation in how we array our forces and equip our Soldiers,' Tillis wrote of Driscoll, adding that Driscoll 'challenged our legacy approach to manning and procurement' and had earned the respect of soldiers under his command.

The tension between Driscoll and Hegseth had been building for months over policy and personnel. Driscoll had championed Army drone modernisation, but the initiative was later cut under Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who succeeded Gen. Randy George as acting chief of staff.

'Culture Wars' Instead of Military Readiness

In his post, Tillis argued that Hegseth had prioritised political battles over the department's core responsibilities. '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 wrote.

He said that under a defence secretary who maintained Driscoll's priorities and forward-thinking approach, the Pentagon would be fighting to retain talented leaders rather than creating 'a leadership void at the top of our military ranks'.

Tillis is not seeking re-election and has been openly critical of Hegseth for months. He told the Hill in July that he had lost confidence in the defence secretary, saying Hegseth 'micromanages too much' and has 'a lack of experience in large organizations.'

CBS News has identified about 20 military and civilian leaders who have been ousted or stepped down since Hegseth was confirmed.

A War in Its Seventh Month Adds to the Pressure

The criticism comes as the United States remains engaged in a war against Iran that began on 28 February and passed its six-month mark last week without a clear end in sight. Media reporting has indicated that the conflict has left the Pentagon managing shrinking munitions stockpiles that could limit its options in future operations.

The war has coincided with a decline in the Trump administration's approval ratings ahead of November's midterm elections.

Not every Republican has joined Tillis in calling for Hegseth's removal, though several have voiced discomfort with the scale of departures under his leadership. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was 'disappointed' by Driscoll's exit, calling him 'a pretty solid guy.'

Rep. Don Bacon has separately said lawmakers should all be concerned when a defence secretary fires so many senior generals, officers and admirals.

Tillis, who has broken with the administration on other issues since announcing he would not seek re-election, included in his post a link to the CBS News tally of departures, framing Driscoll's exit as part of a pattern rather than an isolated dispute. He has not said what action, if any, he would take if Trump declines to remove Hegseth from the post.

The White House has not indicated that Trump intends to act on Tillis' demand. Trump has continued to publicly support Hegseth, recently saying he was doing a 'fantastic job'.