Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says current Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is ‘undermining the strength’ of the U.S. military ‘by creating turmoil’
Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that current Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is “undermining the strength” of the U.S. military by creating turmoil within the armed forces’ command structure. Panetta made the remarks during an interview with host Wolf Blitzer on CNN’s “The Situation Room.”
“I think the secretary is undermining the strength of our military — and particularly the Army — by creating the kind of turmoil in the command structure that he’s been creating,” Panetta told Blitzer.
Context behind Panetta’s remarks
Blitzer introduced the topic by noting that multiple sources had told CNN they believe Hegseth is damaging the Army’s efforts to adapt to modern battlefield conditions because he has focused on cultural issues and pushed out leaders who do not align with his vision. Blitzer specifically raised the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll before asking Panetta, a former Pentagon chief himself, for his assessment.
Panetta responded by drawing on his own background. “Well, I was also a member of the Army when I served in the military and as former Secretary of Defense, I think the Secretary is undermining the strength of our military and particularly the Army, by creating the kind of turmoil in the command structure that he’s been creating,” Panetta said. Panetta led the Pentagon and the CIA during Barack Obama’s administration.
Panetta on command structure and battlefield leadership
Panetta told Blitzer that Hegseth is dismissing “command structures” that bring “experience and leadership to the position.” He argued that removing experienced commanders leaves the United States vulnerable, particularly amid the ongoing war with Iran, which has depleted the Pentagon’s stockpiles of long-range interceptors.
“It isn’t the Secretary that is leading those people on the battlefield, it is those commanders,” Panetta told Blitzer. “And when you get rid of those commanders and when you get rid of the secretary of the Army, what you do is you create turmoil, which damages the ability of the Army to do its job, particularly at a time of war.”
Asked whether he had seen anything like the current turmoil at the Pentagon before, Panetta replied, “Never, never.”
Hegseth’s “warrior ethos” agenda and Pentagon upheaval
During his tenure, Hegseth has prioritized what he calls the “warrior ethos,” pushing the armed services to adopt higher physical standards. His time at the Pentagon has also featured significant upheaval in the senior ranks as he has worked to impose his will on the department.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, an ally of Vice President J.D. Vance, submitted his resignation to President Trump after 18 months in the job and months of tension with Hegseth. Hegseth ousted Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and has blocked the promotions of four Army officers with ties to branch officials he previously sacked. Hegseth also removed six Army officers from two-star general consideration, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to The Hill.
Republican criticism mounts against Hegseth
Panetta’s comments came amid a wave of criticism from Republican lawmakers directed at Hegseth’s leadership of the Pentagon. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a former member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and an outgoing senator, posted on X on September 2, 2026, urging Trump to fire Hegseth over what he called “inept management” of the military.
“I served on Senate Armed Services for 8 years and as chair or ranking member of the Personnel and Readiness subcommittee. I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country,” Tillis wrote. “He is intimidated by competence and retreats to ginning up culture wars instead of soberly attending to the vital work of our national defense and the health and well-being of our fighting force.”
Tillis, who cast a pivotal vote to confirm Hegseth, praised Driscoll as “the right man at the right moment to lead our Soldiers and Army civilians” and accused Hegseth of “creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.” Tillis pointed to Gen. Chris Donahue, the top U.S. Army commander in Europe; former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr.; Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s top officer; Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin; and Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus as among the senior officials pushed out during Hegseth’s tenure. Tillis concluded, “I urge the President to find a new leader at the Pentagon who will retain and empower our military talent rather than diminish it.”
Rep. Don Bacon, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, separately told CNN’s “State of the Union” that firings at the Pentagon and a pattern of slow-walking or denying promotions to senior officers were harming America’s fighting forces. “I think it’s politicized the process [of promotions] unnecessarily,” Bacon said.
Pentagon’s response
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell pushed back on the criticism, stating, “It’s a total fabrication to claim that Secretary Hegseth is not focused on modernization.” Hegseth’s team has also disputed reporting on the promotion delays, characterizing it as based on unverified claims.