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Pete Hegseth’s mother appeared on a Fox show to speak positively about her son’s character, mentioning that he has grown and changed over time. Hegseth is the choice for defense secretary by President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Written by Jennifer S. Forsyth
Updating from the capital
On Wednesday morning, Penelope Hegseth, the mother of Pete Hegseth, stated that her son has changed since 2018 when she sent an email accusing him of mistreating women and being lacking in character and decency.
During an interview on "Fox & Friends," Mrs. Hegseth mentioned that Pete has undergone a transformation and is now a different individual. She stated that he has been redeemed, forgiven, and changed.
"I hope that people, especially our female senators, take the time to understand who Pete is today and listen to him with an open heart. It is important to listen to the truth of Pete and recognize that he does not mistreat women."
She made an appearance following the publication of an email she sent while Mr. Hegseth was going through a difficult divorce with his second wife by The New York Times. In an interview with The Times on Friday, she admitted that she did not mean what she said in that email and had apologized to her son in a subsequent email.
Following recent reports in The New Yorker about alcohol abuse and mismanagement in nonprofit organizations, there have been additional concerns surrounding Mr. Hegseth. A woman accused him of rape at a political conference in 2017, although no charges were filed after an investigation. Mr. Hegseth’s lawyer 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 upcoming Trump administration at risk. It is reported that President-elect Donald J. Trump is considering alternative candidates for the position.
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