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Pete Hegseth’s mother went on a Fox show to speak positively about her son’s character, stating that he has changed for the better. She is the mother of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s nominee for defense secretary.
Authored by Jennifer S. Forsyth
Writing from the capital
Penelope Hegseth, the mother of Pete Hegseth, stated on Wednesday that her son had changed since 2018 when she sent an email accusing him of mistreating women and lacking integrity and morals.
During an interview on "Fox & Friends," Mrs. Hegseth mentioned that Pete has transformed into a different individual, having been forgiven and redeemed.
"I hope that everyone, including our female senators, will take the time to learn more about Pete today. Please listen to him and truly consider the truth of his words with an open heart. It’s important to note that he treats women with respect and does not mistreat them."
She made an appearance after The New York Times released an email she had written while Mr. Hegseth was going through a difficult divorce from his second wife. In an interview with The Times on Friday, she mentioned that she didn’t stand by what she said in the email and had apologized to her son in a subsequent email.
Following recent allegations of alcohol abuse and mismanagement of nonprofit organizations reported in The New Yorker, another incident has come to light involving Mr. Hegseth. A woman accused him of rape at a political conference in 2017, but after an investigation, no charges were filed. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, stated that the encounter was consensual.
The negative consequences of the situation have put Mr. Hegseth’s potential leadership of the Defense Department in the next Trump administration at risk. President-elect Donald J. Trump is reportedly considering other candidates for the position.
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