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Pete Hegseth’s mom urges ‘female senators’ to ignore media reports, confirm him as SecDef

Pete Hegseth speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr)
David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement
December 04, 2024

Penelope Hegseth, the mother of Donald Trump's current and embattled nominee for U.S. Secretary of Defense, appeared on the cable network where her son Pete works, to urge the U.S. Senate, and especially "female Senators," to disregard media reports—which include allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive alcohol abuse, financial mismanagement of two veterans' organizations, and tattoos suggesting a link to Christian nationalism. She insisted her son is a changed man and should be confirmed.

In a sit-down one-on-one interview with Fox News co-host Steve Doocy, who called her "Penny," Penelope Hegseth on Wednesday said the letter she sent her son, which The New York Times published late last week, does not reflect the man he is today, or the mother she is. But when asked if she would testify on her son's behalf before the U.S. Senate, she refused to commit.

According to The Times, Penelope Hegseth told her son in a 2018 email, “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.”

READ MORE: ‘Standards Have Evolved’: Senator ‘Leaning Yes’ on Hegseth Despite Misconduct Allegations

“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,” she wrote, according to The Times.

The paper also reported Hegeth in her letter stated that she still loved her son. She reportedly apologized for the letter hours later.

On "Fox & Friends," Penelope Hegseth began by saying, "let me make two statements first and one is to President Trump. And I want to say thank you for your belief in my son. We all believe in him. We really believe that he is not that man he was seven years ago. I'm not that mother."

"So the other thing I want to say is, I am here to tell the truth, to tell the truth to the American people and tell the truth to the senators on the Hill, especially our female senators. I really hope that you will not listen to the media and that you will listen to Pete."

The media reports about Pete Hegseth—the weekend "Fox & Friends" co-host President-elect Donald Trump has picked to run the most lethal and well-funded military in all of history—that Penelope Hegseth is asking the U.S. Senate to "not listen to" are numerous, and highly-damaging.

Mother Jones on Monday published “A Running List of the Allegations Against Pete Hegseth.”

It does not yet include the latest NBC News report that says, “Ten current and former Fox employees say Trump’s pick for defense secretary drank in ways that concerned his co-workers.”

But it does characterize the current allegations against Hegseth under the headings: “Mismanagement, a Drinking Problem, and Sexually Inappropriate Behavior,” “Rape Allegation,” and, “His Mother Called Him ‘an Abuser of Women’.”

Penelope Hegseth made clear her goal in appearing on Fox News was as much to help get her son confirmed as it was to "discredit the media and how they operate."

READ MORE: Trump Lining Up Billionaire Defense Investor and Megadonor to Be Number Two at Pentagon

"I came to take on New York City, to take on the New York Times," she also said.

She explained that when she was called recently by reporters about the letter she wrote her son Pete in 2018, "I let a few phone calls go, but then they call you and say, they threaten you. That's the first thing they do. They say, 'unless you make a statement, we will publish it as is.' And I think that's a despicable way to treat anyone."

When asked what her "message" is to The New York Times, she replied, "I would say I don't think the way you operate is, it feels almost criminal when reporters call you and threaten you. I don't think a lot of people know that's the way they operate. And they are in it for the commission, for the money, and they don't care who they hurt — families, children. I just I don't believe that that is the right way to do things."

Doocy asked, "Do you think that's just the way they try to get the story?"

"Oh, of course," she replied. "It's their job, but I can take the opposite view."

Critics have blasted Penelope Hegseth's interview, and Pete Hegseth for not withdrawing his nomination to become U.S. Secretary of Defense.

Journalist Gretchen Carlson, the now former longtime Fox News host whose sexual harassment lawsuit helped bring down Fox News chief Roger Ailes, blasted Penelope Hegseth:

"OMG — watching Hegseth’s mom interview on Fox & Friends — twice calling out to GOP female Senators to believe him — saying Pete has changed over 7 years. She is the one who wrote the email annihilating him for his treatment of women & is now saying it’s not true."

As did others.

"Hegseth can do the 'never back down' shtick all he wants but when the nomination reaches the 'have his mommy say nice things on TV' phase and she's not willing to commit to testifying as a character witness, feels like it's in a pretty bad place," observed Aaron Fritschner, Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA). He added, "if someone was foolish enough to nominate me for something senate confirmed ... [I] am extremely confident that my mommy would not hesitate to testify in my defense."

CNN's Brian Stelter wrote, "Penelope Hegseth's main message was that Pete is a changed man. That's the narrative his allies have been pushing in private, as well. But a changed-man narrative is premised on ugliness in the man's past."

Watch the videos below or at this link.

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