Penelope Hegseth, mother of defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, once accused her son of engaging in a long-term pattern of mistreating women, according to an email she sent him in 2018.
Pete's mother called his behavior — especially in regard to women — “despicable” and “abusive” in the message, which was obtained by The New York Times,
“As a woman and your mother I feel I must speak out,” she wrote shortly after his contentious second divorce. “You are an abuser of women — that is the ugly truth and I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego.”
She continued, “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.”
Her message concluded: “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…”
Penelope told Times on Friday, Nov. 29, that just after sending the email, she sent another which apologized for speaking to him “in anger, with emotion.” In the Friday interview, she rescinded the sentiments initially expressed in the email and claimed her son was “a good father, husband.”
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Pete's conduct with women has been a point of public contention since November, when he was announced as President-elect Donald Trump's surprise nominee to lead the Pentagon.
One day after the former Fox News host's nomination, a police report surfaced revealing that he was accused of rape in 2017. Though he was never charged, he entered into an agreement with his accuser that included a confidentiality clause and monetary payment.
In addition to allegations that he has abused women and scrutiny over his qualifications for a top spot in Trump's Cabinet, Pete has faced new claims regarding his alleged lack of professionalism in the past.
The New Yorker reported on Dec. 1 that he was allegedly ousted from previous nonprofit leadership positions due to funds mismanagement, repeated drunkenness and creating an uncomfortable environment for women.
The allegations stem from a whistleblower report obtained by the magazine and supplementary interviews with those who saw his behavior as the leader of two veteran-focused nonprofits: Concerned Veterans for America and Vets for Freedom.
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Former colleagues claimed that Pete was consistently intoxicated at organization events, to the point where he had to be forcibly removed. “I've seen him dragged away not a few times but multiple times,” one former colleague at CVA told The New Yorker“To have him at the Pentagon would be scary.”
The magazine also saw an email that a CVA employee once wrote to Pete's successor, claiming that Pete “treated the organization funds like they were a personal expense account — for partying, drinking, and using CVA events as little more than opportunities to 'hook up' 'With women on the road.'