Frank Kendall, who served as the United States Air Force Secretary during the Biden administration, has launched a sharp critique of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, describing the current state of the Pentagon as “functionally broken.” In an interview with CNN, Kendall asserted that Hegseth is inflicting “actual harm” on the Department of Defense. Drawing upon his twelve years of experience within the defense establishment, Kendall highlighted specific managerial failures attributed to Hegseth, including the dismissal of generals, the exclusion of leaders from promotion tracks, and the cultivation of fear among military personnel.
Kendal emphasized that the atmosphere within the ministry has become toxic, where commanders are afraid to voice their opinions or provide candid advice due to the threat of punishment. This climate of intimidation, he argued, severely damages the institution’s operational integrity. The criticism aligns with broader concerns regarding Hegseth’s handling of the ongoing war with Iran, which critics describe as ineffective and lacking clear indicators of resolution.
Republican members of the Senate have recently expressed declining confidence in Hegseth’s leadership. Senator Tom Tillis stated that he has lost all trust in the Defense Secretary, accusing him of managing the war effort in a “scatterbrained” manner. Tillis further alleged that Hegseth is accelerating the retirement of prominent military leaders or pushing them out of their positions. He characterized Hegseth as suffering from a “clear inferiority complex” and lacking the necessary expertise to manage an institution of the Pentagon’s scale. According to The Hill, Tillis noted that Hegseth’s tendency to micromanage details undermines the confidence of both military and administrative leadership.
The erosion of trust extends beyond Congress into the heart of the defense ministry itself, raising alarms among Republicans. A Republican senator, speaking anonymously to The Hill, confirmed that the lack of confidence permeates internal departments. Additionally, the decision to retire Chris Donahue, the top US Army commander in Europe, sparked widespread backlash. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, warned that sidelining senior commanders sends disturbing signals about the management of the military establishment.
Critics also faulted the Pentagon’s strategic foresight regarding regional developments. Lawmakers accused the administration of failing to anticipate Iran’s prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a miscalculation that contributed to global spikes in oil and gas prices. Furthermore, opponents pointed out that the Pentagon did not predict the expansion of the conflict through Iranian attacks on neighboring states or the escalation in the Red Sea involving Houthi strikes on Saudi shipments. These oversights, they argued, reveal significant deficiencies in military assessments and strategic planning.
