In an affidavit obtained by Democrats before the Senate Armed Services Committee, the former brother-in-law of the defense secretary. Pete Hegseth said Hegseth’s ex-wife Samantha told him she “once hid in his closet from Hegseth because she feared for her personal safety” at the home she shared with Hegseth during the marriage.
The affidavit, which details concerns about Hegseth’s alleged abuse of Samantha, Hegseth’s second wife, was from Danielle Hegseth, who was previously married to Hegseth’s brother.
He reported on the affidavit for the first time NBC Newswhich reported that Samantha refuted many of the claims in the affidavit in her statement to NBC.
“There was no physical abuse in my marriage. This is the only statement I will make to you, I let you know that I do not and will not talk about marriage with Pete. Please respect this decision,” NBC reported. Samantha said in an email.
“Sam has never alleged abuse, signed court documents admitting no abuse, and recently confirmed this during an FBI interview,” said Tim Parlator, attorney for Pete Hegseth, who accused Danielle Hegseth of being “a.” An anti-Trump far-left Democrat” who “had an ax to grind against the entire Hegseth family.”
Samantha did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, asked Danielle Hegseth for an affidavit in a Jan. 18 letter after Hegseth had already come forward. public hearing in front of the committee
According to a partially written affidavit obtained by ABC News, Danielle initially gave much of the information in the document to the FBI on condition of anonymity. But he testifies that he did not know that information about members of the FBI’s Armed Services Committee was included in the FBI report, and that he later chose to share his notes publicly in an affidavit.
Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth arrives for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in the Dirks Senate Office Building on January 14, 2025 in Washington.
Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Hegseth’s nomination to be Defense Secretary cleared the Senate Armed Services Committee on a party line vote last Monday. His nomination could lose the support of three Republicans on the Senate floor when it comes to a vote in the coming days.
“I have chosen to go public, at significant personal sacrifice, because I am concerned about what Hegseth’s confirmation would mean for our military and our country, and because I am certain that making this public statement will ensure that some senators who are still on the fence will vote against Hegseth’s confirmation,” he said. Danielle Hegseth in affidavit. “But to be sure, I would not subject myself or others mentioned in this statement to the kind of public scrutiny this statement might cause.”
In the affidavit, Hegseth’s second wife, Samantha, says she had “a plan to deploy if she felt she had to leave Hegseth.” The plan involved Samantha sending a text message that said she was to call another person to fly to Minnesota to help Samantha, according to the affidavit. Danielle said she was part of the plan rollout once, but did not elaborate on why the plan was implemented or what happened after she called another person.
“I believe that Samantha feared for her safety and had this plan, not only because I was part of the deployment in 2015-2016, but also because it is consistent with what I have personally seen with Hegseth’s erratic and aggressive behavior over many years,” he said.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, fielded a series of questions allegations of wrongdoing and sexual assault to last week’s trial. He has denied any wrongdoing and has never filed a complaint.
The FBI ran a background check on Hegseth, though ABC News reportsReed and Senator Roger Wicker, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, were briefed.
In the letter requesting Danielle’s deposition, Reed wrote that she warned the board that she may have “information that sheds light on Mr. Hegseth’s suitability to hold this important position.” Reed asked for a statement about alleged abuse, spousal abuse, public drunkenness, mistreatment of women or “any other matter that you believe speaks to Mr. Hegseth’s character and circumstances.”
Aside from the experiences Samantha says she told Danielle, Danielle testified that she personally experienced “emotional abuse” by Hegseth, who allegedly yelled at her and was “very, aggressive, in my face.”
He also said Hegseth made “vile comments” related to using Spanish to sing the Star Spangled Banner at a football game, and “rude comments” about women’s appearance and sexual relations between women.
“As I told the FBI, I also heard from Hegseth that women shouldn’t have the right to vote and shouldn’t work,” he said.
Danielle, in the affidavit, also recounted episodes in which Hegseth allegedly drank too much, to the point of passing out.
Hegseth, throughout his confirmation process, has repeatedly asserted that he is a “changed man.” At a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month, he told the panel, “I’m not a perfect person, but redemption is real.”
Reed, in a statement about the affidavit, called the allegations “disturbing.”
“As I have said for months, reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse and misconduct warrant a thorough background investigation. I am concerned that the background check process was inadequate, and this affidavit confirms my fears,” he said. Reed told ABC News. “Mr. Hegseth’s alleged pattern of abuse and misconduct is troubling. This conduct would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, let alone being confirmed as Secretary of Defense.”
A representative for Sen. Wicker did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
