WASHINGTON – New allegations of alcohol abuse and misconduct by Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth drew renewed attention Wednesday to the veteran, former Fox News host and author whom President Donald Trump wants to put at the top of the U.S. military.
New reports in an affidavit filed by Hegseth’s former sister-in-law accuse Hegseth of putting his second wife in fear of life and of being so drunk in his uniform during a Minnesota National Guard drill weekend that his brother had to carry him out of a strip club in Minneapolis.
The candidate was repeatedly accused of public drunkenness and sexual misconduct grilled by Senate Democrats during his confirmation hearing. Hegseth blamed the allegations on a smear campaign. “I am not a perfect person, as survivors by the grace of God, Jesus and Jenny have admitted,” he said, referring to his third wife, television producer Jennifer Hegseth, who sat behind him during the hearing. The couple lives in Tennessee.
Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, on Wednesday expressed concern about Hegseth’s ability to lead the Pentagon and the importance of “serious oversight of the U.S. military and its leaders.”
Reed said a statement given to the FBI in overdue December by Hegseth’s former sister-in-law was not included in the FBI background check provided to the committee. The Rhode Island Democrat directly asked a former family member to testify again to the committee.
“As I have been saying for months, the revelations about Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse and inappropriate public behavior require an exhaustive background investigation. I was concerned that the background check process was inadequate, and this statement confirms that fact,” Reed said in a statement.
“This brave woman’s sworn statement, made at enormous personal risk and with nothing to gain, documents a disturbing pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth,” Reed said. “Such conduct disqualifies any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less from being nominated as Secretary of Defense.”
The FBI told States Newsroom on Wednesday that it does not comment on specific background investigations.
Republican committee leadership did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Senators review allegations
The statement was received and reported By several main news sockets. NBC News, which broke the story, reported that at least 15 senators, including Republicans, had reviewed the document by Tuesday afternoon.
Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, allegedly told the committee that the candidate’s second wife, Samantha, was concerned about Hegseth’s volatile behavior and worked with family members to develop a plan for a safe and sound word, used once, that could be texted in case she Reed needed immediate assist. The statement detailed that on one occasion, sometime between 2014 and 2016, Samantha hid in a closet for safety.
Danielle also reported being verbally attacked by an inebriated Hegseth during a family party to the point of requiring intervention, as well as numerous alcohol-related incidents and racist and misogynistic statements.
Hegseth’s lawyer, Tim Parlatore, did not respond Wednesday to an email seeking comment.
A man who answered the telephone number listed for Parlatore on his law firm’s website said: “I am relying on the public statements I have already made.”
In a statement provided to NBC News on Tuesday, Parlatore said: “Sam has never alleged that any abuse occurred, she signed court documents confirming that no abuse occurred, and she recently confirmed the same during an FBI interview.” “The belated claims of Danielle Dietrich, a far-left anti-Trump Democrat who is divorced from Mr. Hegseth’s brother and has never gotten along with the Hegseth family, do nothing to change that.”
Hegseth’s second wife denied the allegations to NBC News, telling the station that “there was no physical abuse in my marriage” and that she would not comment further.
On Tuesday evening, the Senate approved a motion to consider Hegseth’s nomination by a majority of 53 to 45 votes. Hegseth could be confirmed as early as Thursday.
States Newsroom has reached out to the White House for comment.
Last updated at 1:07 PM, January 22, 2025
