Allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking, and cheating have plagued Pete Hegseth for weeks, but Donald Trump vowed Friday he is sticking by his pick for defense secretary.
Amid the salacious claims, the president-elect reaffirmed his belief in Hegseth in a Truth Social post — and blasted the “fake news” for spreading such allegations.
“Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe. He was a great student - Princeton/Harvard educated - with a Military state of mind,” Trump said.
“He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” the president-elect continued.
Trump tapped Hegseth, the 44-year-old former Fox News personality, to serve in his second administration early last month. In the weeks since, Hegseth has faced a media frenzy of troubling revelations, including a police report of a rape claim, allegations of cheating in his marriages, and concerns that he struggles with drinking.
A 2017 police report surfaced in recent weeks concerning an accusation of sex assault by Hegseth in Monterey, California, at a Republican women’s conference. Hegseth’s own attorney described him as “visibly intoxicated” during the encounter, which Hegseth insisted was consensual. The attorney revealed that Hegseth paid his accuser as part of a non-disclosure agreement.
The New York Times subsequently revealed a 2018 email in which his mother, Penelope Hegseth, denounced Hegseth’s “abusive behavior” toward women.
“You are an abuser of women — that is the ugly truth and I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth,” she wrote in the brutal message.
Vanity Fair later reported that Hegseth had five affairs during the course of his first marriage.
Separately, the New Yorker investigated Hegseth’s record helming the nonprofit Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans of America, reporting that he once shouted “kill all Muslims” while drunk at a bar during one of his leadership roles, among other allegations.
Hegseth has faced a barrage of allegations about his alleged heavy drinking. His drinking concerned at least 10 current and former Fox News employees, they told NBC News this week. He smelled of alcohol before going on air and complained about being hungover, they told the network.
In the wake of that report, a host of his former colleagues leapt to his defense, publicly taking issue with the claims of the 10 anonymous sources.
Hegseth needs to be confirmed by the Senate to become the secretary of defense — but he may fail to meet the simple majority threshold, even in a GOP-controlled Senate, the Washington Post reported.
Still, the nominee remained confident, telling the outlet Thursday: “We’re going to earn those votes. We’re fighting all the way through the tape.”
