GOP Rep. Says Hegseth’s Military Purge Is “Not Moral”
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a retired Air Force general, is criticizing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for removing senior military leaders without offering a public explanation, calling the decision both misguided and inappropriate.
“The Secretary of Defense has the legal right to fire these Flag Officers, but it is not morally right nor wise. Further, he owes an explanation to the tax paying citizens,” Bacon wrote Saturday on the social platform X. The Nebraska Republican, known as a moderate, has previously voiced concerns about Hegseth.
Since assuming leadership at the Pentagon, Hegseth has dismissed more than a dozen high-ranking officers. Among them is Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, who had been nominated by former President Joe Biden in September 2023 for a role that typically spans four years.
Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, previously Hegseth’s military aide, is currently serving as acting chief of staff. Additional recent removals include Maj. Gen. William Green, the Army’s chief of chaplains, and Gen. David Hodne, who led the Army’s Transformation and Training Command.
“I happen to know some of these flag officer and there were zero explanations given. The disdain that is being fueled in the Pentagon for the Secretary is self inflicted,” Bacon said in a follow-up post.
The wave of dismissals has also included Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.
Earlier this year, Hegseth directed Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to dismiss Col. David Butler, who previously served as spokesperson for retired Gen. Mark Milley during his tenure as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
On Sunday, Bacon responded to criticism suggesting he had been less vocal about similar actions during the Barack Obama administration.
“I was a general during the Obama administration. I didn’t personally support some of the policies and I didn’t vote for him,” Bacon wrote. “The generals I know who got fired were fired for cause.”
“But… regardless, don’t base your morality because ‘the other guy did it,’” he added. “Firing without cause shows lack of character.”
Bacon, who is retiring from Congress, is one of three House Republicans representing districts that backed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
