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Penelope Hegseth claimed that her son, Pete Hegseth, mistreated women for a long time. She sent an email to him in 2018 during his difficult divorce, but she now regrets it and has apologized to him.
Written by Sharon LaFraniere and Julie Tate.
Sharon LaFraniere, a journalist covering President-elect Donald J. Trump’s cabinet selections, is open to receiving tips at nytimes.com/tips. She conducted her reporting in Washington. Julie Tate contributed research to the coverage from Washington.
Pete Hegseth’s mother sent an email to President-elect Donald J. Trump in 2018, expressing concerns about her son’s behavior towards women and questioning his character.
Penelope Hegseth wrote a message to a person who has harmed many women, urging them to seek help and reflect on their actions. She expressed her love for the person despite their past behavior.
In addition, she expressed her lack of admiration for men who degrade, deceive, cheat, engage in infidelity, and manipulate women for their own benefit and self-esteem. She directly addressed the individual in question, pointing out that he has exhibited these behaviors for a long time. As a mother, she feels hurt and ashamed to acknowledge this, but she believes it is important to speak the truth.
During a phone interview with The New York Times, Mrs. Hegseth explained that she sent her son a quick email right after the incident to apologize for her initial message. She admitted that she had written the first email in a fit of anger and emotion, as her son and his wife were in the midst of a challenging divorce at the time.
During the interview, she spoke up in support of her son and rejected the negative comments she had made in the first email about his behavior towards women. She emphasized that those comments were false and that she knows her son well, describing him as a dedicated father and husband. She also criticized the decision to publish the initial email, calling it "disgusting."
In the weeks following Mr. Trump’s selection of Mr. Hegseth, a military veteran, to head the Pentagon, concerns about his treatment of women have surfaced. This matter is likely to be closely examined during the Senate confirmation hearings.
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