GOP Sen Thom Tillis blasts Pete Hegseth over Iran deal after ‘obliterated’ claim
WASHINGTON, DC: Republican Sen Thom Tillis publicly rebuked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing the Pentagon chief of overselling the success of the Iran conflict after reports emerged that the Trump administration could allow Tehran to retain nuclear material despite earlier claims the US had “obliterated” Iran’s defenses.
The clash exposed growing Republican unease over the administration’s messaging on Iran. Tillis, who is retiring at the end of this Congress, openly questioned whether the White House's war rhetoric matched the reality of the emerging negotiations.
Thom Tillis questions Iran messaging
During an appearance on CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ on Sunday, May 24, Tillis told host Jake Tapper that Hegseth’s recent statements no longer lined up with reports surrounding the tentative agreement being discussed with Iranian officials.
“We were told about 11 weeks ago by 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 are talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran? How does that make sense at all?”
The retiring North Carolina senator sharpened his criticism moments later when he mocked Hegseth’s handling of the conflict and compared him unfavorably to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was dismissed earlier this year by President Donald Trump.
“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.
He also revisited Hegseth’s earlier public remarks declaring the US was “in a position to pretty much dictate terms” after Iran’s military setbacks.
GOP frustration spills into public
Tillis’ comments added fresh pressure on Hegseth, whose leadership had already faced scrutiny during his confirmation battle over allegations of s**ual misconduct, excessive drinking, and financial mismanagement, all of which he denied.
The senator also criticized the Pentagon for first canceling and then reversing course on sending thousands of troops to Poland while reducing support for Ukraine, adding to what he portrayed as a broader pattern of inconsistency.
The emerging Iran agreement has become especially sensitive after Iran’s Fars news agency reported Sunday that Tehran would be allowed to manage the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route through which 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies flow.
The Iranian military’s restrictions on shipping in the region have already rattled energy markets, with AAA data showing US gas prices climbing from under $3 before the conflict to more than $4.50 as of Sunday.
Tillis’ latest criticism also carried added political weight given that he previously voted to confirm both Hegseth and Noem. Hegseth’s confirmation required Vice President JD Vance to break a 50-50 Senate tie after Republicans split over his nomination.
Before Trump fired Noem in March, Tillis had already criticized her over delayed disaster relief funding in North Carolina and her handling of a fatal federal immigration enforcement incident in Minneapolis earlier this year.
But on Sunday, Tillis made clear his sharpest frustration was aimed at what he sees as a widening gap between the administration’s triumphant Iran messaging and the reality of a deal that could still leave nuclear material inside the country.
