Former Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday defended Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth against criticism from Senator Thom Tillis, R-NC, adding that the criticism was unfair.
“I don’t think it’s fair. I’ve known Pete Hegseth a long time — he’s someone who’s worn the uniform,” Pence told CNN. “I’m told that we’re exceeding goals in every branch of our armed forces, and so all of that is welcome news and positive.”
Tillis had criticized Hegseth the day prior, suggesting that he was disappointed in Hegseth and would not vote to confirm him to his position if he would be voting today.
“I am beginning to wonder if maybe [the Senate] Armed Services [Committee] was a little bit generous with respect to their assessment of his capabilities as a manager of the world’s largest, most complex and arguably, consequential organization. If all I had was the information on the day of the vote, I’d certainly vote for him again, but now, I have the information of him being a manager and I don’t think that his probationary period’s been very positive,” Tillis told CNN.
Tillis announced recently that he will not be seeking a third term in the Senate after his current term ends.
Pence added that he is “very encouraged overall with the president’s leadership and his team at the Pentagon.”
“Our airmen did an incredible job after the president made that courageous decision to launch U.S. forces,” Pence also said, in reference to the surprise U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last month.
Tillis was one of two Republicans who voted against President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill.
In his statement where he said he would not run for reelection, Tillis said that “I look forward to having the pure freedom to call the balls and strikes as I see fit and representing the great people of North Carolina to the best of my ability.”