[U.S. Media: Republican Senators Have Lost Confidence in Hegseth, Some Want Him to 'Step Down']
More and more Senate Republicans are losing confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership of the Department of Defense, with some Republican lawmakers openly expressing their desire for him to "step down"—though they stress that the final decision rests with President Trump.
Several anonymous Senate Republicans speaking to U.S. media said that if Trump were to re-nominate Hegseth today, he would not secure confirmation. They cited instability among top Pentagon officials as a primary concern. Conservative defense hawks within the Republican Party are particularly dissatisfied with Hegseth’s April dismissal of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, and were surprised and disappointed this week upon hearing of his firing of Navy Secretary John Finnen.
One anonymous Republican senator noted long-standing concerns within the Senate Republican Conference about Hegseth’s lack of management experience and worries over his reckless leadership style. The growing rift between Hegseth and senior military leaders has eroded Republican confidence. “The hollowing out of senior leadership at the Pentagon has been a major issue,” the senator said. “The moment Gen. George was removed, things truly reached a breaking point.”
North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis commented on Hegseth: “I think he messed up badly on personnel matters. He fired some of our finest generals.” Tillis cast a pivotal vote last year in confirming Hegseth’s appointment, but now questions his managerial capabilities, pointing out that before taking over the Pentagon, Hegseth had only managed organizations of “30 to 40 people.” “Now he’s facing an organization far larger and more complex than any previous job,” he said. “There’s no doubt he’s inadequate in both technical and managerial skills.”
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that Hegseth does not comment on the departures of senior officers, but emphasized that reforming the Department of Defense would be extremely difficult without replacing top military leadership. “Out of respect for active-duty officers, the secretary does not comment on the nature of their departure. But we all serve the president—the president and the secretary should have officers fully committed to this administration’s priorities,” Parnell said in a statement. “Reforming a department—especially one as vast as the Department of Defense—would be extraordinarily difficult if we keep the same group of people.”
Senior members of the Senate Armed Services Committee criticized the dismissals of George and Finnen. Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst said: “I deeply admired and respected Gen. Randy George. It was a mistake for Secretary Hegseth to fire him.”
Sources say Republican senators hope Trump appoints a new person to lead the Pentagon.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863672282557452/
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