Outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said he regretted voting to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary last year, offering a scathing assessment of the Pentagon chief’s tenure on Monday’s “Morning Joe.”
“The president referred to Pete Hegseth as coming directly from Central Casting – and I agree with that: He’s an actor. He’s not a manager,” Tillis told MS NOW.
Tillis, who voted to confirm Hegseth last year, said the secretary had “demonstrated no knowledge of the Department of Defense.” He noted Hegseth’s continued focus on military personnel’s physical appearance, grooming and aesthetics rather than operational readiness.
“He wants everyone to look like him, everyone to train like him, everyone to wear the uniform like him,” Tillis said. “He’s missing the point of his organization. He’s focusing on maybe 15, 20 percent of the entire organization at the expense of demonstrating any real knowledge that he controls the deadliest, most complex organization on the planet.”
Tillis’ criticism comes as Rep. Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, introduces a resolution to impeach Hegseth over allegations that he violated the War Powers Resolution by continuing the U.S. war against Iran without congressional authorization, among other “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Tillis said he would support such a resolution.
The North Carolina Republican also discussed his complicated relationship with President Donald Trump. After Tillis voted against advancing the administration’s HR 1, better known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, last year, the president threatened to support a primary challenge against him. A few weeks later, Tillis announced that he would retire at the end of his term.
In his new book, “How to Lose Friends and Upset Presidents,” Tillis tells more of his history with Trump, whose relationship with the senator has long alternated between cooperation and confrontation.
He told MS NOW that he pushed back against Trump several times behind closed doors.
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Allison Detzel
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW. She was previously a segment producer for “AYMAN” and “The Mehdi Hasan Show”.
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