Tillis Calls on Trump to Fire Hegseth — SkimNews
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- Senator Thom Tillis called on Trump to fire Hegseth in a Wednesday social media post, writing: 'I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country' and accusing him of being 'intimidated by competence'
- Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned Monday amid reported disagreements with Hegseth; Tillis praised Driscoll as embodying the 'forward-thinking' leadership the Pentagon is now missing
- Hegseth has pursued controversial Pentagon changes including firing top military leaders, blocking promotions, removing transgender service members, reviewing military academy admissions, and limiting journalistic access to the Defence Department
- A University of Massachusetts poll released August 31 found more than two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the Trump administration's handling of the Iran war, which began February 28 and hit its six-month mark last week with no end in sight
- Pentagon officials are reportedly struggling with shrinking munitions stockpiles that 'could hinder the US military in future actions,' according to Tillis-cited media reports
- Tillis himself voted to confirm Hegseth in Trump's second term despite sharing concerns at the time, and announced in June 2025 he will not seek re-election in November's midterms, with his term ending in January
Why it matters: A sitting Republican senator publicly demanding a cabinet secretary's firing during an active war is a rare break in party discipline. With two-thirds of Americans disapproving of the administration's war handling and Pentagon munitions running low, the rebuke from Tillis — who voted to confirm Hegseth — exposes intra-GOP friction over a war now six months old with no end in sight.
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