Sen. Thom Tillis publicly criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on CNN, saying Hegseth's errors have been so damaging they make former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem look competent by comparison. Tillis questioned Hegseth's wartime counsel and singled out the decision to pull back operations in Poland amid Russia's attacks on Ukraine. He also slammed a proposed $1.8 billion fund tied to some January 6 defendants as "stupid on stilts." The episode highlights mounting GOP tensions over military leadership and strategy.
Tillis: Hegseth's Blunders Make Kristi Noem Look Competent — GOP Tensions Flare Over Defense
The GOP senator offered a blunt analysis of Hegseth's tenure as Defense Secretary. / CNN
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) delivered a sharp rebuke of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on CNN's State of the Union, saying Hegseth's missteps have been so pronounced that they cast former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a comparatively favorable light.
Host Jake Tapper asked Tillis whether he believed the president had been well advised by Secretary Hegseth on the ongoing war. Tillis responded bluntly, arguing that, as Secretary of Defense, Hegseth must own the department's assessments and outcomes.
The DOJ's memo explaining how the fund works. / X
"No. If you look at the assessment that Hegseth gave, at the end of the day, regardless of who collected the information, Hegseth owns it by being Secretary of Defense," Tillis said. He continued: "When you tell the president that you have obliterated Iran, and you’re in a position to pretty much dictate terms, and now you see what we have... When you see Hegseth pull back on operations in Poland — when Russia is committing atrocities in Ukraine — with all these mistakes in total, it’s beginning to make Kristi Noem look like a five-star recruit."
Tillis, who announced his retirement last year, has frequently clashed with members of his party and made clear his reservations about the second Trump administration's approach to national security and related policy. On CNN he also criticized a proposed $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded program tied to January 6 defendants, calling it "stupid on stilts" and arguing it risks rewarding people convicted for attacking law enforcement.
Hegseth, a former television host, has come under scrutiny since taking the Defense post amid reports of mass firings of senior officers, public religious rhetoric from the podium, and controversial trips — including helicopter flights that drew media attention when he traveled with high-profile MAGA supporters. Insiders told reporters that Hegseth abruptly canceled a planned 4,000-troop deployment to Poland, a decision that reportedly frustrated the president.
The president announced his troop deployment to Poland in response to an election that took place a year ago. / Donald Trump/Truth Social
In response, President Trump posted on Truth Social announcing an additional 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland, citing his endorsement of Polish leader Karol Nawrocki and their relationship — a post that observers described as confusing because it referenced an election that took place months earlier.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Pentagon and Kristi Noem for comment. The developments underscore growing tensions within the Republican Party over war planning, military leadership, and political priorities.
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