Hegseth faces ‘leadership void’ critique as Pentagon turmoil deepens
Republican Senator Thom Tillis has called for the removal of US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, citing a pattern of high-profile departures and contested military operations that have defined his tenure.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing intensified scrutiny from within his own political party following a call for his removal from the cabinet. On Wednesday, Republican Senator Thom Tillis urged President Donald Trump to replace Hegseth, accusing the defence secretary of creating a “leadership void” at the top of the US military. Tillis stated that he had never witnessed more inept management of the armed forces, adding that Hegseth appeared “intimidated by competence.”
The criticism follows the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll on Monday, the latest in a series of high-ranking departures from the Pentagon. Driscoll’s exit, reportedly amid tensions with Hegseth, has fuelled concerns about the stability of military leadership. Since taking office in January 2025, Hegseth has overseen a sweeping turnover of senior officials, including the firings of Navy Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Coastguard Commandant Linda Fagan, and Joint Chiefs of Staff head Charles Q Brown.
Hegseth’s tenure has also been marked by significant institutional friction. He has reportedly removed as many as 80 names from top military promotion lists, a move critics argue is unusual for a Pentagon chief and disproportionately affects women and Black officers. Additionally, the department has developed an adversarial relationship with the press, culminating in a lawsuit filed by three members of the Stars and Stripes newspaper who were fired for speaking out about editorial independence.
Operational controversies have further complicated Hegseth’s standing. The US military’s boat-strike campaign in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean has reached a death toll of 227, with legal experts describing the actions as extrajudicial killings. In the war against Iran, Hegseth testified in July that $37.5 billion had been spent, exceeding the $25 billion estimate provided in April. Iranian officials recently accused the US of striking a civilian wedding in Kuhestak, killing at least five people and wounding more than 60.
The Pentagon has requested a record $1.5 trillion budget for fiscal year 2027, a sum critics have labelled “unhinged” due to the lack of clear accounting for the 42 per cent increase. Other contentious policies under Hegseth include the expulsion of transgender service members, the use of the Signal app for sensitive military communications, and allegations of violating international law during the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
As the conflict with Iran stretches into its seventh month, Hegseth faces growing questions over his exit strategy and the broader implications of his “warrior ethos” approach. The combination of budgetary demands, personnel turnover, and operational disputes has placed the governance of the US military under a microscope.
