South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying he is doing a great job managing the Pentagon, especially by firing senior generals.
The Republican Congresswoman and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, who is not running for reelection, talked to MeidasTouch Network correspondent Pablo Manriquez near the Capitol building while holding a small brown dog on a red leash.
Starting with a simple question about how comfortable she was with all these firings, Nancy Mace admitted that any change will necessarily face some resistance. She explained why the reform was necessary.
“Well, I think sometimes, you know, when you’re changing an organization as large as the Department of War, there’s going to be pushback if you’re doing things differently than what’s been done in the past,” said Mace.
She then outlined the overhaul’s objective.
“But clearly, we need to streamline and make more efficient the Pentagon, and that’s what Pete Hegseth is doing,” Mace stated.
The congresswoman went further, saying the firings themselves could also boost morale among those remaining in the military.
“And there’s something to be said for the morale of, I think, you know, getting rid of some of those generals or forcing their retirement,” Mace said.
Asked about the effect of these events on troop morale in general, Mace pointed to media coverage of the dismissed officials.
“There is, I think, a morale boost for those troops. Because some of them, you know, you read, you know, some of the issues there,” said Mace.
In conclusion, she offered a general evaluation of the defense secretary’s work.
“I think Pete’s doing a good job,” Mace said.
Since 2025, when the Trump administration appointed him, Pete Hegseth has fired more than two dozen top-level military officials, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, and several admirals. These firings stem from disagreements over intelligence, DEI programs, and other changes.
These firings have continued in recent weeks. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned after disagreements with Pete Hegseth over reforms and military personnel readiness to perform their duties.
Manriquez then asked about the morale of the sailors onboard the ships who are not getting enough food. Mace agreed that service members need to be taken care of.
“You know, obviously, if you’re putting your life on the line, we’ve got to make sure we take care of you,” said Mace.
But then she deferred to the department on the details of the food shortage and seemed unsure of the ships’ destination.
“And the Pentagon has explained everything that’s going on, and they’re getting ready to go to, I guess, Thailand,” Mace said.
After confirmation of the destination, Mace justified it as a solution to the food problem and tiredness of sailors.
“There’s going to be some good food there, and hopefully they get enough R&R that they need to continue the mission,” Mace said.
Then she thanked the troops who carry out the mission.
“And we appreciate them on the mission,” Mace said.
This year, reports said food supplies were limited, and morale was low aboard these ships, including USS Abraham Lincoln, which performed military missions in the Middle East for more than 200 days. This carrier group is planned to visit the port of Pattaya in Thailand.
Manriquez finished by asking Mace to give Hegseth a grade, as if it were a report card.
“I think he’s doing a great job,” said Mace.
She explained her evaluation by pointing to the changes she liked.
“I like change. I like doing things more efficiently,” Mace said.
Then she called Pete Hegseth’s department bloated.
“It’s such a bureaucracy over there,” Mace said.
Her final answer also stuck to the subject of the conversation.
“Making it more efficient, run better, faster, more, and more economically efficient is a good thing,” Mace said.
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