A prominent Republican senator who once voted to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is now publicly questioning that decision, calling the appointee by President Donald Trump "amateurish" and "out of his depth" in managing the Pentagon.

In his first major interview since announcing his retirement, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina told CNN on Wednesday that Hegseth has proven to be an ill fit for the role, citing his failure to coordinate a recent pause in U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine.

"With the passing of time, I think it's clear he's out of his depth as a manager of a large, complex organization," Tillis said.

"This whole idea of having a pause in Ukraine defensive arms — that's just amateurish," Tillis continued. "That's from somebody who doesn't understand large organization dynamics."

Tillis' rebuke comes just days after he voted against Trump's controversial spending bill, breaking with the party line and igniting speculation about deeper rifts within the Republican ranks.

The senator admitted he initially supported Hegseth's nomination in January under pressure from the Trump administration, despite private concerns about allegations of misconduct. Tillis later said he tried to have the nomination pulled quietly, but ultimately voted yes to avoid a primary challenge Trump had been openly mulling.

"At the time, I made the best judgment I could," Tillis said. "But with what I know now, it's clear his probationary period hasn't been positive."

Tillis, who will not seek a third term in 2026, is one of the few Republicans now willing to voice dissent within the party, especially against figures still tightly aligned with Trump. He also took aim at other Trump cabinet picks, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., though he stopped short of blaming the president directly.

"I don't have a problem with President Trump," he said. "I've got a problem with some of the people I consider to be amateurs advising him."

Originally published on Latin Times