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Pete Hegseth’s mother went on a Fox show to speak up for her son’s character, mentioning that he has changed for the better. She is the mother of Donald J. Trump’s pick for defense secretary.
Written by Jennifer S. Forsyth
Writing from the nation
On Wednesday morning, Penelope Hegseth, the mother of Pete Hegseth, stated that her son has changed since 2018. She had previously sent an email in which she accused him of regularly mistreating women and lacking morality and integrity.
Mrs. Hegseth stated on "Fox & Friends" that Pete is a transformed individual who has been forgiven and changed for the better.
"I hope that people, especially female senators, will take the time to truly understand who Pete is today. Listen to him with an open heart and recognize the truth about Pete," she expressed. She also mentioned, "He treats women respectfully and does not mistreat them."
She made an appearance following the publication of an email she wrote while Mr. Hegseth was going through a difficult divorce with his second wife. In an interview with The Times on Friday, she stated that she did not stand by what she said in that email and had apologized to her son in a subsequent email.
Following recent accusations of alcohol abuse and mismanagement within nonprofit organizations, an article in The New Yorker shed light on these issues. Additionally, there were allegations of sexual assault made against Mr. Hegseth by a woman who claimed he raped her at a political conference in 2017. Despite an investigation that did not lead to any charges, Mr. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, stated that the encounter was consensual.
The negative consequences of the situation have put Mr. Hegseth’s potential role as the head of the Defense Department in the upcoming Trump administration at risk. It is rumored that President-elect Donald J. Trump is considering alternative candidates for the position.
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