Ex-Air Force sec warns Hegseth's 'fear climate' is driving exits, 'couldn't serve' under Trump

WASHINGTON, DC: 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.

The department has faced a wave of exits, with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll becoming the latest top leadership holder to leave. Driscoll resigned on August 31, following months of internal clashes with Pete Hegseth over modernization and leadership shakeups.

'Fear' environment in Pentagon driving exits

Appearing on ABC’s ‘This Week’ with Martha Raddatz on Sunday, September 6, former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III discussed possible reasons and inside developments behind the several departures from the Pentagon.

Kendall claimed that an environment of fear in the Pentagon and “things the military is being asked to do” are driving people out of the department.

“Very good people that I know are leaving because of the climate of fear and because of the things the military is being asked to do,” Kendall added.

Given that “climate of fear” Kendall referenced, the former Air Force secretary said senior military officers have an “obligation” to “stand up” to administration officials attempting to "do something which is morally wrong, unethical" or illegal.

“I’m afraid they’re not doing that,” Kendall said, later pointing out the ongoing US military campaign on alleged d**g boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, which he called “unconstitutional.”

Frank Kendall led the Air Force during the Biden administration.

Frank Kendall accuses Pete Hegseth of politicizing the military

Kendall also shed light on the political transformation of the Department of Defense, accusing the current leadership of politicizing the military.

“I’ve never seen an attempt to politicize our military like the one being conducted by Pete Hegseth,” Kendall told Martha Raddatz, blasting Hegseth’s leadership.

He said Hegseth's imposition of his will on the armed services “is rippling all the way down through the ranks” of the military.

“It’s causing people to be afraid and … in many cases I think he’s not getting good advice. Because people are afraid to tell him things that he doesn’t want to hear,” he told Raddatz, referring to Hegseth.

Besides Driscoll’s resignation, Hegseth ousted Army Chief of Staff Gen Randy George in April and has blocked promotions of four Army officers with ties to branch officials he fired.

The Defense secretary also removed six Army officers from two-star general consideration earlier this week, a source familiar with the matter told The Hill.