Senator Reveals Details of New Batch of Allegations Against Pete Hegseth
During Secretary of Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth’s first confirmation hearing, senators raised concerns that the former Fox News host’s FBI background checks did not include interviews with his wives and others who could speak to the disturbing allegations against the nominee. Their concerns seem justified, as on Tuesday senators on the Armed Services Committee received an affidavit from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, Danielle Dietrich, who alleged that her sister — Hegseth’s second wife Samantha Deering — feared for her safety during her marriage.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the ranking Democrat on the committee, released more details on Wednesday. Reed, who openly clashed with Hegseth during his first confirmation hearing earlier this month, noted in a press release that Dietrich “was interviewed by the FBI in December 2024 as part of the background investigation on Mr. Hegseth, but details of this testimony did not appear to have been included in the final background check briefing provided by the Trump Transition Team in January.”
Reed’s office included a summary of the contents of the affidavit, which contained disturbing allegations about Hegseth’s conduct towards his ex-wife, and his abuse of alcohol.
“Mr. Hegseth abused alcohol regularly and his volatile behavior caused family members to fear for their safety,” the summary says, adding that Deering “had an ‘escape plan’ that involved texting a ‘safe word’ to friends and family to urgently request assistance without putting herself in more danger with Mr. Hegseth. This escape plan was executed on at least one occasion.”
According to Reed’s summary, on at least one occasion “Mr. Hegseth’s second spouse hid in her closet out of fear of him.”
Dietrich’s affidavit also included additional details regarding allegations that Hegseth struggled with alcohol abuse, according to Reed’s office. “Mr. Hegseth regularly became so drunk that he passed out, threw up, and had to be carried out of family events and public settings, sometimes shouting sexually and racially offensive statements,” Reed’s office said.
The statement details an instance related by Dietrich in which Hegseth, while in military uniform, “was so inebriated that his brother had to carry him out of a Minneapolis strip club. This occurred during a drill weekend with the Minnesota National Guard.” The affidavit allegedly referenced instances in which Hegseth drunkenly shouted “sexually and racially offensive statements.” Dietrich reportedly described instances in which Hegseth opposed women’s right to vote or work, and disparaged Muslims.
In a statement to NBC News, Hegseth’s attorney, Tim Parlatore, countered that his ex-wife “has never alleged that there was any abuse, she signed court documents acknowledging that there was no abuse and recently reaffirmed the same during her FBI interview.”
“Belated claims by Danielle Dietrich, an anti-Trump far left Democrat who is divorced from Mr. Hegseth’s brother and never got along with the Hegseth family, do nothing to change that,” Palatore added, claiming that “Ms. Dietrich admits that she saw nothing but is now falsely accusing Sam of lying to both the Court and to the FBI because of private, undocumented statements that she allegedly made 10 years ago.”
Samantha Deering told the outlet in an email that she has “not and will not comment on my marriage to Pete Hegseth.”
“I do not have representatives speaking on my behalf, nor have I ever asked anyone to share or speak about the details of my marriage on my behalf, whether it be a reporter, a committee member, a transition team member, etc,” she wrote. “There was no physical abuse in my marriage. This is the only further statement I will make to you, I have let you know that I am not speaking and will not speak on my marriage to Pete. Please respect this decision.”
On Wednesday, Parlatore sent a letter to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) insisting that he disregard Dietrich’s allegations. “There is no basis to credit this deeply flawed and questionable affidavit, which was submitted at the 11th hour in a clear and admitted partisan attempt to derail Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation,” Parlatore wrote.
Hegseth’s nomination was advanced from committee to the Senate in a party line 14-13 vote on Monday. While Democrats are likely to oppose his certification as a whole, they would require at least 4 defections from Republicans to tank the nomination. The Senate is expected to debate Hegseth’s nomination on Thursday, with a vote taking place either that same afternoon or Friday.
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