Transitioning to the
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The mother of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s nominee for defense secretary went on the same network where her son used to work, to vouch for his character and claim that he has undergone a positive transformation.
Written by Jennifer S. Forsyth
Writing from the capital
On Wednesday morning, Penelope Hegseth, the mother of Pete Hegseth, stated that her son has changed since 2018. She mentioned that in the past, she had sent an email accusing him of mistreating women and lacking integrity and moral values.
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 our female senators, have the opportunity to understand who Pete is today. I encourage you to listen to him with an open heart and recognize the truth about Pete. It is important to note that he does not mistreat women."
She made an appearance after The New York Times released an email she wrote 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 did not stand by what she said in the email and had already apologized to her son in a subsequent email.
Following the publication of an article in The New Yorker this week, there were allegations of alcohol abuse and mismanagement of nonprofit organizations. Additionally, Mr. Hegseth was accused of raping a woman at a political conference in 2017, although no charges were filed after an investigation, as Mr. Hegseth’s lawyer claimed the encounter was consensual.
The negative consequences from the situation have put Mr. Hegseth’s prospects of becoming the head of the Defense Department in the upcoming Trump administration at risk, as President-elect Donald J. Trump is reportedly exploring different candidates for the position.
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