Panetta Blasts Hegseth for Undermining Military
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What happened
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under public criticism from Republican senators and former Pentagon officials over senior leadership turnover and the conduct of U.S. operations against Iran. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll left office this week after reported clashes with Hegseth, including over Hegseth’s April firing of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Hegseth’s blocking or ending the careers of dozens of officers without a public explanation. Amid stepped-up hostilities with Iran, 82nd Airborne Division troops in the Middle East were told their tours would be extended to one year, into 2027. At least one Republican senator publicly called Hegseth “inept,” and former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall issued separate, on-the-record critiques of Pentagon leadership under Hegseth.
BLINDSPOT.
Only left-leaning outlets are covering this story
— the other side's media is silent.
Omitted — what each side leaves out
Unpacked
Left-leaning coverage reports Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth facing criticism from Republican senators over the Iran war and Pentagon leadership changes, a story right-leaning outlets had not covered as of publication. A Republican senator calling him "inept" is the frame ABC News puts on camera, and it casts the episode as bipartisan backlash as more Republicans join Democrats. Staff turnover, no clear plan for ending the Iran war, and a failure to reach out to Democrats on funding are the frustrations The Hill says put Hegseth on a collision course with GOP senators, with a second piece relaying a former Democratic Air Force secretary's verdict that the Pentagon is dysfunctional. The two left-leaning accounts disagree on whether this is an intra-GOP clash or Democrats-plus-Republicans, and neither names the senator, the departed officials, or any response from Hegseth. A reader of the silent side therefore misses that Republican lawmakers are publicly faulting a sitting defense secretary over both the war and the Pentagon's leadership churn.
Which Republican senators objected, and which senior Pentagon officials actually left?
Bottom line
Right-leaning outlets have not reported GOP senators turning on Hegseth over Iran and Pentagon churn, and ABC News covered that fight without naming the senator who called him inept.
The receipts — 5 facts one side's coverage lacks
- A Republican senator called Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "inept"
- More Republicans have joined Democrats in criticizing Hegseth's handling of the war in Iran and recent Pentagon leadership changes
- GOP senators have major concerns about senior staff turnover, the lack of a clear plan for ending the Iran war, and the administration's failure to reach out to Democrats on funding
- Former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall III called the Defense Department under Hegseth "dysfunctional"
- Frank Kendall served as Air Force secretary under the Biden and Obama administrations
The Left View
Outlets covering the story describe Hegseth as headed for a clash with GOP senators over senior-staff turnover, the lack of a clear plan to end the Iran war, and limited outreach to Democrats on funding. ABC News reported bipartisan backlash and highlighted a Republican senator calling Hegseth “inept.” The Hill quoted Kendall calling Hegseth’s Pentagon “dysfunctional” and Panetta saying Hegseth is “undermining the strength” of the military, especially the Army, through command-structure turmoil. The Christian Science Monitor reported Driscoll’s resignation, tensions dating to the March 2025 “Signalgate” chat incident, the April firing of Gen. George, disputes over drone-modernization programs, troop-tour extensions, and Hegseth’s censure of Sen. Mark Kelly. Those accounts frame the personnel moves as raising questions about political loyalty versus professional military judgment and a possible chilling effect on dissent.
Our Take (balanced)
The story is substantive on core events and thin on some of the motive claims. Established: named actors and checkable personnel changes (Driscoll’s exit, George’s firing, reported promotion blocks), on-the-record quotes from Panetta, Kendall, a Republican senator, and CSM’s reporting on tour extensions and prior Hegseth–Driscoll disputes. Alleged or interpretive, not independently documented here: that firings were unexplained retribution, that Black and female officers were specifically targeted, that a drone battalion was killed as personal retaliation, and that Hegseth is systematically prioritizing loyalty over expertise. No right-leaning outlet has reported this. Watch for a named GOP senator’s full remarks, a Pentagon or White House on-the-record response, official orders or inspector-general records on the officer firings and drone-battalion decision, and any congressional hearing or funding vote that tests whether the reported Senate frustration produces action.
5 sources
- Hegseth headed for clash with GOP senators as frustrations grow
- WATCH: Republican senator calls Hegseth 'inept'
- Former Air Force secretary: Hegseth’s Pentagon ‘dysfunctional’
- Panetta: Hegseth is ‘undermining the strength’ of the US military
- Fighting on two fronts: Army secretary’s exit highlights Hegseth’s war on pushback
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