During the Senate’s consideration of Pete Hegseth’s nomination as US Defence Secretary, serious allegations arose from his former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth. She accused him of being abusive to his second wife, claiming Samantha feared for her safety and had a safe word to signal danger. Danielle described Hegseth’s behaviour as erratic and aggressive, and stated she reported these concerns to the FBI in December, fearing they weren’t communicated to Congress.
Hegseth has denied these allegations, with his attorney dismissing Danielle’s claims as outdated and motivated by personal grievances. He asserted that Samantha never claimed abuse during their divorce in 2021, despite Danielle’s testimony indicating emotional distress. Hegseth’s confirmation progress comes amidst doubts from some senators, who called for a more thorough FBI background check due to the nature of the allegations related to drinking, extramarital affairs, and past misconduct.
Senator Jack Reed emphasised the need for comprehensive verification of Hegseth’s fitness for such a significant role, while Republican leaders expressed that these claims were unlikely to impact the support he had been garnering. The Senate Armed Services Committee had advanced Hegseth’s nomination shortly before the affidavit’s revelations.