Former Air Force secretary says he ‘couldn’t serve’ in Trump administration
Kendall said Hegseth’s firings and blocked promotions have created fear among officers, with Driscoll’s resignation adding to concerns about turnover.
- On Sunday, Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of politicizing the military, warning that he has created a "climate of fear" driving experienced leaders to resign.
- Hegseth has removed or sidelined numerous senior military leaders, including roughly 25 senior officers, while arguing that personnel changes are necessary to restore accountability and a stronger "warrior" culture.
- Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned after months of reported tension with Hegseth, marking one of the most consequential Pentagon departures since Hegseth took office.
- North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis recently urged President Donald Trump to find new Pentagon leadership, writing that the administration should retain and empower military talent rather than diminish it.
- With ongoing operations against Iran, Kendall warned that weakened institutional checks threaten long-term military readiness, saying "all of our guardrails are gone" as midterm elections approach.
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Former U.S. Military Official Questions Advice Trump Got on Iran
Former top U.S. military official Frank Kendall III has questioned the advice President Trump was given in the lead up to the Iran war. Kendall was Air Force Secretary during the Biden administration. He told ABC's This Week during an interview that aired Sunday: “What I don’t understand, frankly
The Independent
The Independent (US)Ex-Air Force chief accuses Hegseth of leading ‘culture of fear’
A former secretary of the Air Force who was stripped of his security clearance by the Trump administration last month accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of leading a “culture of fear” at the Pentagon where commanders feared speaking their minds due to the risk of losing their careers.
Ex-Air Force sec warns Hegseth's 'fear climate' is driving exits, 'couldn't serve' under Trump
In an eyebrow-raising insight into the slew of leadership resignations from the Pentagon, a former Air Force secretary revealed that there is a “climate of fear” inside the department and accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of politicizing the military.
Former Air Force Secretary Says He ‘Couldn’t Serve’ Under Trump and Hegseth
Washington, D.C. — Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III said Sunday that he could not serve in President Donald Trump’s administration, accusing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of politicizing the military and creating a “climate of fear” inside the Pentagon. “I’ve never seen an attempt to politicize our military like the one being conducted by Pete Hegseth,” Kendall said on ABC’s “This Week.” Kendall, who served during the Biden administ…
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