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The Evolution of Pete Hegseth: A Mother’s Defense During the Trump Transition

In Citizen
January 14, 2025

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Transition of power

Transition of power

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Pete Hegseth’s mother went on a Fox show to speak positively about her son’s character, mentioning that he has undergone a transformation. Hegseth is the nominee for defense secretary chosen by President-elect Donald J. Trump.

Written by Jennifer S. Forsyth

Reporting live from the

Penelope Hegseth, the mother of Pete Hegseth, stated on Wednesday that her son has changed since 2018 when she sent an email accusing him of mistreating women and lacking morals and integrity.

During an interview on "Fox & Friends," Mrs. Hegseth mentioned that Pete has undergone a transformation and is now a completely different person. She described him as redeemed, forgiven, and changed.

"I really hope that people, especially our female senators, take the time to understand who Pete is today. I hope you listen to him with an open heart and see the truth about Pete," she expressed. She also mentioned, "He does not mistreat women."

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 was said in the email and had already apologized to her son in a subsequent email.

Additionally, there were claims of excessive alcohol consumption and poor management of charitable organizations that were recently reported in an article in The New Yorker. Mr. Hegseth is also dealing with accusations from a woman who alleged that he sexually assaulted her at a political event in 2017. Despite an investigation finding no grounds for charges, Mr. Hegseth’s lawyer maintains that the encounter was consensual.

The negative consequences from both incidents 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 different individuals for the position instead.

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