Official record from the Senate Armed Services Committee

Trump Nominee Hegseth Faces Misconduct Claims in Whistle-Blower Report and Mother's Email

Dec 2, 2024, 06:33 AM

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, is facing multiple allegations of past misconduct. In a 2018 email, his mother, Penelope Hegseth, accused him of mistreating women and lacking character, though she has since apologized and renounced her statements. A whistle-blower report obtained by The New Yorker, authored by Jane Mayer, alleges that during his tenure as president of Concerned Veterans for America and Veterans for Freedom from 2013 to 2016, Hegseth engaged in financial mismanagement, harassed women, and was repeatedly intoxicated while on duty. Incidents include being so intoxicated that he had to be carried out of events, attempting to join dancers on stage at a Louisiana strip club, and, on May 29, 2015, chanting 'Kill All Muslims!' at a bar during an official tour. Hegseth is also accused of dividing female staff into 'party girls' and 'not party girls,' and sexually pursuing them. Senator Richard Blumenthal has stated that these reports should disqualify Hegseth's nomination. These revelations have raised concerns about Hegseth's suitability for the role, potentially endangering his confirmation.