WASHINGTON – New allegations of alcohol abuse and fraud by Defense Secretary candidate Pete Hegses on Wednesday about the author veteran, former Fox News host and President Donald Trump wants to set up at the top of the US military A new scrutiny has been introduced.

A new revelation in affidavits from Hegses’ former step-sisters makes his second wife fear her life, and his brother must take him with him during the Minnesota State Guard training weekend He accuses him of making his uniform drunk for having to do so at Minneapolis Strip Club.

The candidate has been accused of many opportunities for public drunkenness and sexual misconduct; grill He confirmed by Senate Democrats during his hearing. Hegseth condemned the allegations in the Smear Campaign. “I am not a perfect man, as I am recognized as having been saved by Jesus and Jenny by God’s grace,” he mentioned his third wife, television producer Jennifer Hegses. . . The couple lives in Tennessee.

Sen. Jack Reid, a top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Armed Service, raised concerns Wednesday about the importance of Hegses’ fitness and “serious oversight of the US military and its leaders” leading the Pentagon.

Reed said testimony from late December was not included in the FBI’s background checks provided to the committee by former step-sisters of Hegses. Rhode Island Democrats directly requested former families to share their committee’s testimony.

“As I have said for months, reporting on the history of Mr. Hegses’ sexual assault, alcohol abuse and public misconduct requires a thorough background check. The background check process is insufficient. We are concerned about this and this affidavit confirms that fact,” Reed said in a statement.

“The affidavit from this brave woman gives us a huge amount of personal risk and nothing, documenting the disturbing pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Heggs,” Reid said. “This action has not been confirmed as Secretary of Defense as military members are disqualified from holding military leadership positions.”

The FBI told States Newsroom Wednesday it had not commented on any particular background research.

Republican committee leadership did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Senator considering the claim

Affidavits have been obtained and reported by Some Selection subject news Outlet. NBC News, which broke the story, It has been reported At least 15 senators, including Republicans, had reviewed the documents by Tuesday afternoon.

Daniel Hegses, former step-sister to Hegses, said that Samantha, the candidate’s second wife, feared Hegses’ unstable behavior, created a plan with the family for safe words he used once. It is reportedly been told. According to Reed’s office, they needed help right away. The statement details that between 2014 and 2016, Samantha has been hiding in her closet for safety.

Daniel also reported that he was verbally attacked by drunk Hegses at a family event, to the point that he needed intervention, with multiple drunken incidents and racist and misogyny statements being made public .

Hegseth’s attorney Tim Parlatore did not respond to an email Wednesday requesting comment.

The man responded to the phone number listed on Palatol on his law firm’s website, “I rely on official statements I have already made.”

In a statement provided to NBC News on Tuesday, Parlatore said: “Sam never claimed that there was abuse, and he signed court documents that he had no abuse and recently reaffirmed the same in an interview with the FBI. Hegses’ brothers divorced and the Hegses family was The late claims by Daniel Dietrich, a distant left and right anti-Trump Democrat who never got along with, did nothing to change that.”

Hegseth’s second wife denied the NBC News allegations and told the network that she would not comment further, “There was no physical abuse in my marriage.”

The Senate approved an allegation Tuesday evening to proceed to Hegses’ nomination. 53-45 votes. Hegseth may be confirmed on Thursday.

The state newsroom reached the White House for comment.

Last updated at 12:07pm, January 22, 2025