Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered a blistering critique of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday over his sweeping removal of more than two dozen senior military officers since taking control of the Pentagon.
“I find this deeply troubling,” Collins said in her opening statement during an appropriations hearing. “These are men and women who volunteered to serve our country and swore an oath to support and defend our Constitution.”
Collins, who is facing a competitive reelection battle in Maine, specifically pointed to the February 2025 dismissal of Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead the Navy. She noted that Hegseth has not only fired senior leaders but has also blocked promotions across three service branches and intervened in the assignments of several top officers.
The Maine Republican highlighted reports that women and people of color have been “disproportionately” affected by the firings or sidelining. She argued that such actions will likely discourage highly qualified women and minorities from joining the military, “thus depriving us of their talent, dedication, and patriotism.”
“The United States military is one of the greatest meritocracies in the free world,” Collins said. “We need to make sure that it stays that way.”
Hegseth’s purge has rattled lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Among those ousted are former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander Gen. Chris Donahue. The controversy comes as Hegseth and other officials face Senate scrutiny over Iran war costs after three U.S. deaths.
In response, the House Armed Services Committee last month unanimously adopted a provision in the annual National Defense Authorization Act that would require the Pentagon to explain to Congress within five days why any senior military officer is fired or dismissed. The bipartisan voice vote signals growing unease with Hegseth’s approach.
Collins’s sharp rebuke underscores the political stakes for her as she campaigns for reelection in a state where Democrats face risks that could hand the Senate seat to her. Her stance also reflects a broader bipartisan concern over the erosion of military norms under the current Pentagon leadership.
