Official statement from Pete Hegseth or the U.S. Senate

Senator Kaine Grills Defense Nominee Hegseth on Infidelity and Violence Allegations

Jan 14, 2025, 05:05 PM

At a Senate confirmation hearing on January 14, 2025, Senator Tim Kaine intensely questioned Pete Hegseth, the nominee for Secretary of Defense, regarding allegations of personal misconduct and infidelity. Kaine confronted Hegseth with accusations that he fathered a child with a woman who was not his wife just two months before and asked, "Can you so casually cheat on a second wife and cheat on the mother of a child that had been born two months before?" Hegseth maintained he had been "completely cleared" and dismissed the allegations as "anonymous, false charges." When Kaine inquired whether committing physical violence against a spouse would be disqualifying, Hegseth called the question a "hypothetical" and did not directly answer. Kaine also referenced a colleague's claim that Hegseth "got drunk at an event at a bar and chanted, 'Kill all Muslims,'" pressing whether such behavior would be disqualifying if true. Hegseth denied ever engaging in acts of physical violence against any of his wives, stating "Absolutely not." The exchange marked the most contentious moment of the hearing, highlighting concerns over the nominee's personal conduct.