Sen. John Kennedy stopped short of endorsing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, while leaving room to back him as Republican concern grows over Pentagon turnover.
The Louisiana Republican would not give NBC News host Kristen Welker a direct vote of confidence in Hegseth during a Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press.”
“Well, it’s not my place to have confidence in him,” Kennedy said, as The Hill reported. His answer came as Republicans raised questions about senior departures and Hegseth’s management of the Pentagon.
Welker pressed Kennedy about Hegseth’s leadership and his dismissal of several senior officials. Kennedy acknowledged that some of those who were removed were “some pretty good people.”
But Kennedy did not conclude that Hegseth had acted improperly. He said he had not seen enough evidence to decide whether the firings were justified.
Kennedy’s answer reflected the wider debate over Hegseth’s military firings. Lawmakers are seeking answers about who left, why they left, and how the turnover affects Pentagon leadership.
Kennedy then stated the standard he would use to judge Hegseth:
“I voted for him. I’d probably vote for him again until evidence is shown to me that he shouldn’t have fired these guys. But I’m not worried about the personalities.”
That is not a full endorsement, but neither is it a call for removal. Kennedy placed the burden on Hegseth’s critics to show that his personnel decisions harmed the department.
The distinction matters amid other disputes over Pentagon personnel, including Hegseth’s halted Army promotions. The central question is whether the changes serve military readiness or create needless instability.
North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis has reached a sharper conclusion. Tillis described Hegseth’s leadership as “inept management” and urged President Trump to choose a new Pentagon leader.
Tillis said the next defense secretary should “retain and empower our military talent rather than diminish it.” He formerly served on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The latest concern followed the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds, an Armed Services Committee member, said he was “disappointed” by Driscoll’s departure.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers also criticized the turnover. The Alabama Republican said he was “tired of all the churn” and called for “stability” among senior Pentagon leaders.
Hegseth was considering several possible replacements for Driscoll. The reported list included Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell and Assistant Army Secretary Marc Andersen.
Assistant Defense Secretary Derrick Anderson and Florida Republican Rep. Brian Mast were also listed. Mast chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee and served in the Army.
The personnel questions arrive alongside reported tension over Iran policy and Hegseth’s standing within the administration. Kennedy, however, directed his attention toward military needs rather than individual careers.
Hegseth and the Trump administration were expected to seek more than $70 billion in emergency national security spending. The money would address the growing costs of the Iran war.
Kennedy said Congress would likely need to pass legislation providing more money to the Pentagon. He also anticipated Democratic opposition to that funding.
The senator called for “more butts, not just for Iran, but for the world.” He also argued that the United States should work with Ukraine on new methods of warfare.
“And that begins with drones. And No. 3, we need to give the military some more money,” Kennedy said.
That funding push will enter a Congress already divided over military spending, as shown by the recent House defense bill vote. A large emergency request will place more attention on Pentagon management and its use of taxpayer dollars.
The Defense Department has also faced criticism from the House Appropriations Committee’s top Democrat. The lawmaker accused the department of trying to divert billions from the National Institutes of Health without congressional approval.
No supporting documentation for that accusation was identified. The dispute nevertheless adds another congressional question for Pentagon leaders as they seek emergency funds.
Kennedy’s position remains cautious and conditional. He voted for Hegseth and said he would probably do so again unless evidence showed the personnel decisions were unjustified.
Other Republicans have gone further. Tillis wants a new defense secretary, while Rounds and Rogers have focused on the loss of senior personnel and the need for stability.
Those concerns deserve direct answers. Running the Pentagon requires firm civilian control, but it also requires a clear chain of command and careful stewardship of public money.
Accountability is not disloyalty. When national security and taxpayer dollars are at stake, Republicans should demand clear answers and judge the record fairly.
