Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana declined to offer a clear vote of confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a tense exchange on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, sidestepping the question even as he stopped short of joining a fellow GOP senator’s call for Hegseth to be removed.
Moderator Kristen Welker pressed Kennedy on the embattled Pentagon chief after North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis publicly urged President Trump to find a new defense secretary earlier in the week. Tillis’s criticism followed reports of a sweeping purge of top military officers under Hegseth’s leadership, along with reports that Trump himself had privately voiced concern about the shake-up.
Tillis did not mince words in his public statement, declaring that Hegseth is creating a leadership void at the top of the nation’s military ranks. He called on the president to install a leader at the Pentagon who would retain and empower military talent rather than push it out.
Armed with that criticism, Welker asked Kennedy directly whether he still has confidence in Hegseth. Kennedy’s response was anything but a full-throated endorsement.
“Well, it’s not my place to have confidence in him,” Kennedy said, prompting Welker to remind him that, as a sitting senator, it very much is his place to weigh in.
Kennedy then offered a mixed assessment. He acknowledged that Hegseth appears to be consolidating power and that some capable people have reportedly lost their jobs under his watch, though he said he could not say for certain whether those firings were warranted. Kennedy noted he voted to confirm Hegseth and said he would likely do so again unless evidence surfaces showing the ousted officials should not have been let go. He added that he personally isn’t focused on the personnel drama.
Instead, Kennedy said his concerns lie elsewhere. He argued the United States needs more troop strength for global commitments, not just for potential conflict with Iran. He also called for a stronger partnership with Ukraine to pioneer new methods of warfare, particularly drone technology, and said the military needs additional funding, which he suggested may have to come through the reconciliation process. Kennedy claimed Democrats’ opposition to President Trump has made them reluctant to support military spending increases.
Kennedy closed his remarks by acknowledging others may see things differently, but said that’s simply his take on the matter.
The exchange comes amid mounting Republican unease over Hegseth’s leadership at the Pentagon, with Tillis becoming the most prominent GOP voice yet to call for his removal following reports of turmoil inside the department’s top ranks.
