Sen. Tillis Criticizes Defense Secretary Hegseth's Handling of Iran War

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis slammed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s handling of the Iran war, saying that he makes “Kristi Noem seem like a 5-star recruit.”

The North Carolina lawmaker, who is retiring at the end of his current term, spoke out Sunday against Hegseth’s handling of the ongoing war with Iran and the reported peace deal that the Trump administration claims is nearly reached.

Tillis told CNN’s State of the Union that the deal comes after Hegseth claimed the U.S. “obliterated” Iran, noting that the secretary was “in a position to, pretty much, dictate terms.”

“When you see these mistakes made by Hegseth…With all of these mistakes in total, it’s beginning to make Kristi Noem look like a five-star recruit,” Tillis said.

Tillis, a frequent critic of Trump, suggested that the reported details of the agreement represent a shift in the administration’s stance on the war.

"We were told about 11 weeks ago, by (U.S. Defense ​Secretary Pete) Hegseth and the Department of Defense, that they had obliterated Iran's defenses and it was just a matter of time before we had the nuclear material," Tillis said. "Now we're talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran. How does that make sense at all?"

The supposed deal, which would see the Strait of Hormuz reopen, had largely been negotiated, although Iran had not yet agreed to give up its uranium.

The key passageway sees about 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies pass through it. However, its closure has caused gas prices to skyrocket past $4.50 as of Sunday, according to AAA.

Hegseth has faced intense criticism during his time as Defense Secretary, and most recently for his handling of the war in Iran.

Earlier this month, Hegseth faced grilling from Republican and Democratic lawmakers about the Trump administration’s plan to end the war in Iran and how it will pay for it, as Pentagon officials now say it will cost about $29 billion.

Tillis, who voted to confirm both Hegseth and Noem last year, called for Noem to step down from her role as Homeland Security Secretary during an oversight hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee in March.

The senator slammed Noem for her leadership decisions regarding immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, namely the killings of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal immigration agents.

He also criticized her decision to kill her 14-month-old dog, which she recounted in her 2024 memoir.

Tillis, a critic of Trump, is set to retire when his current term ends next January.