Congressional Republicans have stepped up their criticism of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of fostering a loyalty-first culture at the Pentagon that blocks honest assessments of the Iran war from reaching President Donald Trump.
The conflict, now in its fifth month, is raising economic pressures at home, and lawmakers are increasingly worried about its direction.
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Republican members of Congress allege that internal deference is hindering operational progress and masking hard realities of the military campaign.
A Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee voiced sharp concerns about Pentagon leadership, saying top officials fear executive backlash.
“Hegseth is afraid of Trump and won't be as honest as he should about the war for fear of losing his job,” the lawmaker said.
The same member added that internal unwillingness to offer critical feedback complicates any clear resolution to the military involvement.
“I see very few ways to wrap up Iran other than to withdraw and somehow market that as a win,” the lawmaker said.
Operational access within the military hierarchy also drew criticism from Capitol Hill, targeting Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine regarding his management of internal briefings.
“General Caine is making a mistake by not encouraging the president and Admiral Cooper to sit down and hear his view of how this operation could be successful,” said a Republican senator on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The senator added that an overly cautious approach from military leadership risks prolonging the campaign indefinitely.
