Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a former member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is publicly urging President Trump to dismiss Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, accusing him of “inept management” of the U.S. military. The call comes on the heels of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s resignation, which followed a series of clashes with Hegseth over the removal of senior military leaders.
Tillis, who voted to confirm Hegseth last year, praised Driscoll as “the right man at the right moment to lead our Soldiers and Army civilians” and expressed frustration with Hegseth’s stewardship of the Pentagon. In a post on X, Tillis wrote: “I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country. 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.”
The North Carolina Republican is now calling on the president to find a new leader 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,” Tillis said. He accused Hegseth of “creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks” by forcing out a number of senior officers, including Gen. Chris Donahue, the top U.S. Army commander in Europe; former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr.; Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s top officer; Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin; and Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus.
Driscoll’s resignation came after repeated disagreements with Hegseth over the ouster of officials such as former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George. Tillis highlighted Driscoll’s and George’s support for the Army Transformation Initiative, which aimed to speed up the deployment of unmanned aircraft systems in Army operations. “Our understanding and assumptions of warfare are being challenged in places like Ukraine and Iran, and Dan understands the old way of doing business no longer applies,” Tillis wrote. “He and General George began a transformative period of innovation in how we array our forces and equip our Soldiers. He challenged our legacy approach to manning and procurement.”
Tillis added that Driscoll “cared deeply about the men and women in our Army formations and quickly earned their respect.” The senator’s remarks come as other GOP lawmakers express dismay over Driscoll’s departure. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, “I was disappointed. I think he’s been a pretty solid guy. So disappointed.” Rounds also pointed to the importance of drone innovation, noting that the Army’s future readiness depends on integrating unmanned systems, as seen in the conflict in Ukraine. “This issue that’s going on with regard to Ukraine, the use of drones, the integration of drones into this — this is not a new thing that just happened,” Rounds said. “We’ve been watching this ever since 2021. Watching the Ukrainians do a marvelous job with drones.”
The tension over drone programs is also visible at the operational level. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army’s acting chief of staff, ordered a Europe-based Army battalion to shut down its experimental drone initiative and refocus on its core mission as an airborne infantry unit.
The rift between Hegseth and senior military leaders has raised concerns among defense observers about the stability of Pentagon leadership. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has pushed for a more aggressive overhaul of military culture, but critics argue his approach has alienated experienced officers. Tillis’s public rebuke marks a significant break from a Republican senator who previously backed Hegseth’s confirmation.
The situation is unfolding as the Trump administration faces broader challenges in managing national security priorities. Some GOP lawmakers worry that internal turmoil at the Pentagon could undermine efforts to address global threats. As one Republican strategist noted, the infighting distracts from the administration’s foreign policy agenda. The White House has not yet responded to Tillis’s call, but the pressure on Hegseth is likely to intensify in the coming days.
