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The Redemption of Pete Hegseth: A Mother’s Defense in the Trump Transition

In Citizen
January 15, 2025

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Pete Hegseth’s mother went on a Fox show to speak about her son’s character and defend him, stating that he has changed for the better. She is the mother of the person chosen by President-elect Donald J. Trump to be the defense secretary.

Written by Jennifer S. Forsyth

Writing from the capital

On Wednesday morning, Penelope Hegseth, the mother of Pete Hegseth, stated that her son had 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 different individual who has been forgiven and redeemed.

"I hope that everyone, especially our female senators, will take the time to learn about Pete today. Listen to him with an open heart and hear the truth about who he is. 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 stated that she did not stand by what she wrote in that email and had apologized to her son in a subsequent email.

Following reports of alcohol abuse and financial mismanagement in nonprofit organizations detailed in a recent article in The New Yorker, Mr. Hegseth has been under scrutiny. Additionally, he has been accused of rape by a woman at a political conference in 2017, although no charges were filed after an investigation. Mr. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, stated that the encounter was consensual.

The negative impact of recent events has put Mr. Hegseth’s potential leadership of the Defense Department in the upcoming Trump administration at risk, as President-elect Donald J. Trump is reportedly considering different candidates for the position.

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