President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has turn into certainly one of his most controversial choices, with a number of allegations surfacing towards him, together with points associated to alcohol, sexual impropriety, and monetary misconduct.
Hegseth, together with a number of different nominees, has confronted questions on whether or not he will probably be confirmed by the Senate. However, in an interview with Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker, Trump expressed confidence in his choice. “It seems like Pete is doing properly now. I imply, folks have been a little bit bit involved. He’s a younger man, with an incredible monitor file really. He went to Princeton and went to Harvard. He was a great pupil at each. But he loves the army and I feel persons are beginning to see it so we’ll be engaged on his nomination together with lots of others.”
Read on to study extra about Hegseth and the allegations surrounding him as he’s tasked with main the Pentagon.
Who Is Pete Hegseth?
Hegseth is a tv persona and political commentator. The 44-year-old labored with Fox News from 2014 till he left following the announcement of his nomination.
Hegseth joined the Army ROTC whereas in faculty and was later deployed abroad with the Army National Guard after commencement, in line with a 2022 article in Reserve + National Guard Magazine. He additionally served as the chief director of two nonprofit advocacy teams—Veterans for Freedom (VFF) and Concerned Veterans for America (CVA).
What Are the Allegations Against Hegseth?
In 2017, Hegseth was concerned in a sexual encounter at a Republican ladies’s convention in Monterey, California, which he claimed was consensual, however was later reported to the police as a sexual assault. While no prices have been filed, he finally paid the girl as a part of a nondisclosure settlement, as The Washington Post first reported final month.
On November 29, The New York Times revealed an previous electronic mail from Hegseth’s mom, Penelope Hegseth, wherein she accused her son of disrespecting ladies. In the 2018 electronic mail, Penelope wrote: “I’ve no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps round and makes use of ladies for his personal energy and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mom, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, however it’s the unhappy, unhappy reality.” The outlet reported that the e-mail was referring to his second divorce.
A number of days later, on December 1, The New Yorker revealed a report detailing that Hegseth was pressured to step down from management roles at VFF and CVA earlier than becoming a member of Fox News. According to the whistleblower report, Hegseth racked up greater than $400,000 in debt for the organizations, was continuously intoxicated on the job, and contributed to a hostile office surroundings resulting from allegations of sexual misconduct.
Is Hegseth Married?
Yes, Hegseth is at present married to TV producer Jennifer Rauchet. The couple met whereas he was engaged on Fox & Friends and tied the knot in 2019. According to The U.S. Sun, Rauchet had been married twice earlier than marrying Hegseth.
Hegseth’s first marriage was to Meredith Schwarz, his highschool sweetheart, from 2004 to 2009. The two divorced after Hegseth admitted to having a number of affairs, as reported by The New Yorker.
Does Hegseth Have Kids?
Yes, Hegseth is the daddy of 4 organic youngsters and three stepchildren. He has a daughter together with his present spouse, Rauchet, and three youngsters from his earlier marriage to Samantha Deering, whom he was married to from 2010 till their break up in 2017.
If you or anybody you realize has been sexually abused, name the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A skilled employees member will present confidential, judgment-free assist in addition to native sources to help in therapeutic, recovering and extra.