GOP Senator Urges Trump to Fire Hegseth

Tillis praised Driscoll on the way out: "Dan was the right man at the right moment to lead our Soldiers and Army civilians." He credited Driscoll and former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George with beginning "a transformative period of innovation in how we array our forces and equip our Soldiers."

He then turned on Hegseth. "If we had a @SecWar who maintained the same priorities and forward-thinking, he would be fighting to retain talented leaders like Dan and the many flag officers he has forced into retirement," Tillis wrote. "Instead, he is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks."

Tillis noted he served eight years on the Senate Armed Services Committee, including as chairman or ranking member of its Personnel and Readiness subcommittee. He accused Hegseth of retreating "to ginning up culture wars instead of soberly attending to the vital work of our national defense," and urged Trump to install someone who will "retain and empower our military talent rather than diminish it."

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the Armed Services Committee's ranking member, went further. "It is far past time for President Trump to recognize the lasting harm that Pete Hegseth is inflicting on the Department of Defense," Reed said. "In the Army alone, he has fired and blocked the promotions of dozens of senior officers without explanation, including Army Chief of Staff General Randy George and half of all four-star generals. Secretary Hegseth is cultivating a culture where dissent is punished and competence is secondary to personal allegiance."

The Washington Examiner said it contacted the Pentagon for comment.