Pete Hegseth's own mother accused him of being abusive toward women in a 2018 email.
Penelope Hegseth reached out to her son — a former Fox News host who is currently under consideration to serve as Donald Trump's secretary of defense — to criticize him while he was going through a particularly contentious divorce. Penelope Hegseth called her son no good and abusive in the flame-throwing message that stuck up for his ex-wife Samantha.
"On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say get some help and take an honest look at yourself," Hegseth's mother wrote. "I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth."
The New York Times shared the text of that email on Friday. Penelope Hegseth has since disavowed her statements in the email, telling the Times that their decision to publish the message was "disgusting" and saying that her characterization of her son's treatment of women was "not true" and "has never been true."
Allegations of Hegseth's mistreatment of women have bubbled back up in the days since his nomination to Trump's Cabinet. A woman accused Hegseth of sexual assault in 2017, with the conservative commentator settling out of court with her several years later. The police report from that incident soon resurfaced. Hegseth has maintained that their encounter was consensual.
Similar allegations have already derailed one of Trump's Cabinet nominations. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz removed himself from consideration for the role of attorney general as multiple investigations into alleged sexual misconduct cast a shadow over the process.
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