Tillis Urges Trump to Fire Hegseth as Iran War Enters 6th Month

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Sep 2

Republican Senator Thom Tillis called on Donald Trump to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying he has created a “leadership void” in the military during the war with Iran.
Dan Driscoll’s resignation on Monday sharpened Tillis’s attack: he said Hegseth drives out capable leaders, forces flag officers into retirement and focuses on culture-war fights instead of military modernization.
Hegseth, whom Tillis narrowly backed for confirmation, has pushed controversial Pentagon changes including curbing press access, removing transgender service members and targeting what he calls “wokeness” in the ranks.
Six months into the war launched on February 28, the Pentagon is reportedly facing shrinking munitions stockpiles, while the conflict has spread across the Middle East and hurt the administration politically.
More than two-thirds of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the war, according to an August 31 University of Massachusetts poll, adding pressure ahead of November’s congressional elections.