Senate Democrats are continuing to push back on the nomination of Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department amid fresh allegations of misconduct by the veteran and former Fox News host.
In a partially redacted affidavit sent to the Senate Armed Services Committee and obtained by CQ Roll Call on Tuesday, Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, who was married to Hegseth’s brother Nathaniel, alleges that Hegseth has “an alcohol abuse problem” and was “abusive” to his ex-wife Samantha.
In the sworn statement, in which Danielle Hegseth said she repeated what she told investigators with the FBI, she recalled several episodes in which Hegseth was so intoxicated he lost consciousness, called his behavior “erratic and aggressive” and said Samantha at one point hid in her closet to get away from Hegseth as she feared for her own safety.
Danielle Hegseth also wrote that Hegseth has said women should not be allowed to vote or work.
Allegations denied
The existence of the affidavit was first reported by NBC News. Samantha Hegseth said in a statement to NBC that the information in the affidavit was inaccurate.
“There was no physical abuse in my marriage. This is the only further statement I will make to you, I have let you know that I am not speaking and will not speak on my marriage to Pete. Please respect this decision,” she told NBC.
And Pete Hegseth’s attorney, Tim Parlatore, said that Danielle Hegseth had “an axe to grind” against the Hegseth family following an acrimonious divorce. Both Pete and Samantha Hegseth signed a 2021 court document that said neither parent claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse.
“Belated claims by Danielle Dietrich, an anti-Trump far left Democrat who is divorced from Mr. Hegseth’s brother and never got along with the Hegseth family, do nothing to change that,” Parlatore said in a statement. “Ms. Dietrich admits that she saw nothing but is now falsely accusing Sam of lying to both the Court and to the FBI because of private, undocumented statements that she allegedly made 10 years ago.”
Samantha Hegseth was Pete Hegseth’s second wife. They were married from 2010-2017 and have three children. While still married to Samantha, Hegseth fathered a child with Fox executive producer Jennifer Rauchet, to whom he is now married.
The sworn statement was submitted in response to a request from Senate Armed Services ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., for information that would “shed light on the fitness of Mr. Hegseth to occupy this important position.”
“As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this affidavit confirms my fears. The alleged pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth is disturbing. This behavior would disqualify any servicemember from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense,” Reed said in a statement.
Ongoing Democratic concerns
The new allegations, and Reed’s continued concerns, follow a closed meeting on Monday during which the Armed Services panel voted, 14-13, to favorably report Hegseth’s nomination for consideration by the full Senate.
All Democrats on the panel opposed the nomination, according to a committee aide.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said during a hearing on Tuesday that Hegseth was the sole Trump nominee who refused to meet with him.
“He has written that he thinks Democrats are evil. He has written that he thinks Democrats are the adversary and he refused to meet with any Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, save the chairman,” Kaine said of Hegseth.
“Yesterday in a closed hearing, we were asked to forward his nomination to the floor even though it had not been pending to the committee for sufficient time. My colleagues asked, ‘Hey, why would we give a waiver to someone who wouldn’t even agree to meet with us?’ That that nominee would disrespect Democrats, OK, that’s fine, but I didn’t think my committee colleagues on the Armed Services Committee would have disrespected us,” Kaine said.
The full Senate is expected to vote on Hegseth’s confirmation this week.
Detailed allegations
In the affidavit, Danielle Hegseth acknowledges that she did not have firsthand knowledge of Hegseth’s allegedly abusive behavior toward his then-wife. But she said she found what Samantha Hegesth told her to be credible, due to the erratic and aggressive behavior Hegseth had demonstrated toward herself.
Danielle Hegseth contends that Samantha Hegseth had a plan in place to use if she felt she needed to get away from her husband. If Samantha Hegseth texted a “safe word/code word” to Danielle Hegseth, then she in turn would contact another friend of Samantha Hegseth’s who would fly to Minnesota to help.
Danielle Hegseth said the plan was put into motion at some point between 2015-16, but did not elaborate on the outcome of those particular events.
She also told the FBI she personally witnessed Hegseth abusing alcohol “numerous times” over the years. She spoke to FBI personnel on Dec. 30 and again on Jan. 18, four days after his confirmation hearing.
During that hearing, Reed acknowledged that only he and Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., had reviewed the FBI’s background check on Hegseth.
“And I want to say for the record, I believe the investigation was insufficient, frankly,” Reed said during the hearing.
In the face of allegations of excessive drinking, sexual improprieties and financial mismanagement of two veterans groups which he led, Hegseth has said he is the subject of “a coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media.”
In the affidavit, Danielle Hegseth said she chose to come forward because she is “deeply concerned” about the consequences of Hegseth’s confirmation to lead the U.S. military.
“I have been assured that making this public statement will ensure that certain Senators who are still on the fence will vote against Hegseth’s confirmation,” she said. “But for that assurance I would not subject myself or others referred to in this statement to the public scrutiny this statement is likely to cause.”