Republicans are growing increasingly frustrated with the Pentagon and are losing faith in the secretary’s leadership as the 2026 midterm elections approach, adding another point of pressure on a defense team already facing scrutiny over war costs, staffing decisions and transparency.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has focused more on the physical abilities of U.S. soldiers while President Donald Trump conducts another war in the Middle East. One outgoing senator said the two are overlooking some of the best military minds of their generation.

“I don’t have any confidence in him anymore. I think he’s all over the place, he’s accelerating the retirement or forcing out some of the most distinguished leaders in the DOD that we have,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told The Hill.

Other Republican lawmakers are upset over the Pentagon’s inability to anticipate closures of the Strait of Hormuz. The failures in the Iran war have contributed to higher fuel prices and a significant depletion of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which is now below half full. The war has since expanded to blocking oil transfers in the Red Sea, while problems in the Black Sea continue, underscoring how quickly military decisions can ripple into energy supplies and broader security planning.

Tillis blamed Hegseth’s “massive insecurity complex” in dealing with the military. Hegseth has been photographed taking part in several different “workouts” with soldiers, including lifting weights and doing pull-ups. This month, he announced helping soldiers with low testosterone.

“He has a lack of experience in large organizations; he micromanages too much. He’s lost my confidence,” Tillis said. Tillis was the deciding vote on whether to approve Hegseth last year.

A Republican senator who asked not to be named told The Hill that Hegseth is also losing confidence among senior military leaders.

“I have heard out of the Pentagon that there’s a loss of confidence within the Pentagon. And of course then everyone here on the Hill hears those same concerns,” the lawmaker said.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon’s forced-retirement announcement list is growing.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) expressed concern about Chris Donahue, the top U.S. Army commander in Europe, calling the situation “deeply troubling.”

“These are men and women who volunteered to serve our country and swore an oath to support and defend our Constitution.” She also said she wants “more information” on “the strategy and endgame for the war.”

“I do think that the American public’s growing weary,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) said.

“Collectively, those of us in Congress are worried about the costs associated with the Department of War and the transparency,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

Tillis also pointed to a broader concern about Trump and Hegseth’s leadership purge of women and people of color with experience in strategic planning. He said Hegseth is now blocking the promotion of many women and people of color across the armed forces.

“Everybody knows about some of the Game of Thrones stuff going on with some of the other service secretaries and Hegseth. It seems like he wants to run the whole place,” Tillis said.

“When you’re a leader, you better damn sure have people smarter than you in the room. You’re supposed to be air traffic control for all these brilliant people and he’s undermining the DOD’s success by undermining these brilliant people who spent their career in uniform,” he added.