"He abuses alcohol and is violent," Trump's Defense nominee faces accusations from ex-wife

2025-01-23 07:51:58Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Pete Hegseth

Pete Hegseth's ex-wife recently gave a new statement to the FBI regarding the Defense nominee's alcohol use, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker and ranking Democrat Jack Reed were briefed on Samantha Hegseth's statement, which has not been previously reported, on Jan. 16, two days after the committee held Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing, sources said, according to CNN.

Wicker and Reed were initially briefed on the FBI background check before the confirmation hearing, according to another source familiar with the matter. The FBI has since interviewed Samantha Hegseth and included her statement in its additional review.

Wicker said in a statement late Wednesday night that reports “regarding a confidential briefing on the FBI’s history investigation of Pete Hegseth that I received last week are completely inaccurate” and that he stands by Hegseth’s nomination.

"It is troubling that a sensitive and lengthy process used by committee leadership to vet presidential personnel is being discussed in the press by anonymous sources with ulterior motives," Wicker said, noting that he has been briefed three times by the FBI about their background check.

Democrats accused Hegseth during his confirmation hearing of allegations of sexual misconduct and heavy drinking. Hegseth has repeatedly denied all allegations of misconduct, including a drinking problem, but has said he would not drink while serving as defense secretary if confirmed.

The FBI contacted Samantha Hegseth and she gave a statement in which she discussed concerns about Pete Hegseth's drinking, the two sources said. A source familiar with the statement said Samantha Hegseth told the FBI, "He drinks a lot."

The well-known source noted that Samantha and Pete Hegseth have been divorced since 2017.

"There's nothing new here and we look forward to the confirmation vote," Tim Parlatore, Pete Hegseth's attorney, told CNN.

Samantha Hegseth did not respond to CNN's request for comment. The FBI declined to comment.

Reed and Wicker received the briefing days before the committee's vote to advance Hegseth's nomination to the Senate.

Hegseth's former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, filed an affidavit in the Senate about Pete Hegseth's behavior that became public on Tuesday, accusing Hegseth of being "abusive" toward his second wife, Samantha Hegseth.

Danielle Hegseth, who was married to Pete Hegseth's brother from 2011 to 2019, did not specify the nature of the abuse in the statement, writing that she "did not personally witness any physical or sexual abuse by Hegseth," but that Samantha Hegseth sometimes feared for her safety and had a code word if she needed help getting away from her husband.

Danielle Hegseth also claimed that she witnessed Hegseth abusing alcohol at numerous family parties, and drinking excessively in public twice during 2013.

Parlatore said in a statement to CNN on Tuesday that Danielle Hegseth "hates Pete and there is no truth to any of this. Most of what she says is things she has not actually witnessed."

During his confirmation hearing last week, Hegseth acknowledged that he was "not a perfect person" but claimed that the allegations against him, including an allegation that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017, were part of a "coordinated smear campaign."

Democrats pressured Hegseth during the hearing over allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking.

After Danielle Hegseth's statement was revealed on Tuesday, Democrats complained that the information was not part of the FBI history investigation that was provided to Senate Armed Services Committee leaders.

Danielle Hegseth submitted the affidavit after a request from Reed.

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