In a recent interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) avoided directly commenting on whether he still had confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. When asked by host Kristen Welker, Kennedy said it wasn't his place to express confidence in the secretary, though he acknowledged that Hegseth had consolidated power by removing several senior military officials. Kennedy said he did not know if those individuals deserved to be fired, but he emphasized that he had voted for Hegseth and would likely do so again unless new evidence emerged. Kennedy raised concerns about the U.S. military's readiness, stating the country needed "more butts"—a phrase used to refer to increased personnel and resources—not just for dealing with Iran, but for global challenges. He highlighted the need for stronger partnerships with Ukraine and for greater military funding, particularly for modern technologies like drones. Kennedy also anticipated that Congress would need to pass new legislation to increase Pentagon funding, though he predicted Democrats might oppose such efforts. Senate Republicans are expected to scrutinize Hegseth over the recent departures of several high-ranking military officials, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who resigned last week. The Trump administration is seeking over $70 billion in emergency national security funding to address rising costs from the Iran conflict. Some lawmakers, including former Senate Armed Services Committee member Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), have criticized Hegseth's leadership as "inept" and urged President Trump to replace him with someone who can better support the military. Other senior Republicans, such as Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), expressed disappointment over Driscoll’s resignation and called for more stability in Pentagon leadership. Hegseth is reportedly considering several replacements for Driscoll, including Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, Army assistant secretary Marc Andersen, Defense assistant secretary Derrick Anderson, and Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), an Army veteran and chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.