In July, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) made a major announcement: Like Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), he isn't seeking reelection in the 2026 midterms. And like Tillis, he plans to serve out the rest of his term.
Bacon has the same problem as Tillis: he's a moderate conservative, and many of President Donald Trump's loyalists resent him for not being MAGA enough.
Bacon's willingness to part company with MAGA Republicans and Trump loyalists was evident during a Tuesday afternoon, September 30 appearance on CNN.
Bacon spoke candidly about the firing of Pentagon officials under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. And his conversation with CNN's Brianna Keilar followed Hegseth's speech, earlier in the day, before military generals.
Bacon told Keilar that after Trump appointed Hegseth, he made a good-faith effort to work with him.
Bacon explained, "I personally told Secretary of Defense Hegseth ... that you're the new leadership. You have the opportunity. Tell them what your expectations are, and the generals and admirals will follow your lawful orders. And they don't have to be suspicious. They don't have to be doubting."
The GOP congressman and retired one-star general was critical, however, of the "rampant firing of senior leaders" in the Pentagon "whose only fault was following the directions of the previous administration" — which, Bacon added, is something, "I find very troublesome."
Bacon told Keilar, "Some of these guys served 35 years, nearing 40 years. They were patriots. They served in combat. And they want to do well by the military and by our country. And some of these guys were treated, I think, very rudely and unprofessionally in the way they were handled ... ten four-star generals and three-star generals here are quite a bit. And none of them were actually given a reason.
Bacon continued, "See you, thanks for serving — that's how you treat someone who serves their country for 35 years. And you know, you reap what you sow."