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The mother of Pete Hegseth, who was chosen by President-elect Donald J. Trump to be defense secretary, went on the same network where her son worked to speak positively about his character and claim that he had changed for the better.
Written by Jennifer S. Forsyth
Writing from the capital
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 moral character.
During an appearance on "Fox & Friends," Mrs. Hegseth mentioned that Pete has undergone a transformation and is now a different person. He has been redeemed, forgiven, and changed for the better.
"I hope that everyone, especially our female senators, will take the time to understand who Pete is today. I ask that you listen to him with an open heart and recognize the truth about Pete. It should be known that 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 explained that she didn’t actually mean what she said in that email and had apologized to her son in a subsequent email.
Furthermore, recent accusations of alcohol abuse and mishandling of nonprofit organizations were brought to light in an article in The New Yorker. Additionally, Mr. Hegseth has been accused of raping a woman at a political conference in 2017, although no charges were filed following an investigation. Mr. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, stated that the encounter was consensual.
The fallout from the situation has put Mr. Hegseth’s potential leadership of the Defense Department in the upcoming Trump administration at risk. President-elect Donald J. Trump is reportedly considering different candidates for the position.
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