Senate learns new Hegseth abuse, drinking allegations

What happened

Danielle Hegseth, a former sister-in-law of Pete Hegseth, said in a sworn affidavit to senators Tuesday that President Donald Trump's defense secretary nominee was abusive toward his second wife and regularly drank to the point of passing out at family gatherings, among other allegations.

Who said what

Danielle Hegseth was reportedly a confidante of Samantha Hegseth during their concurrent marriages to Hegseth and his brother in the 2010s. She said in her affidavit that Samantha once "hid in her closet from Hegseth because she feared for her personal safety," and another time texted Danielle an emergency code word to set in motion a prearranged plan to "get away" from him.

The "new allegations are strikingly similar to a raft of accusations that had already surfaced" against Hegseth, The New York Times said. A lawyer for Hegseth denied the abuse allegations, and Samantha Hegseth told NBC News "there was no physical abuse in my marriage." She told the FBI earlier this month her ex-husband "abused and continues to abuse alcohol," the Times said.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he had requested the affidavit due to now-confirmed fears that Hegseth's FBI background check was "inadequate." Danielle Hegseth's allegations, shared with the FBI last month, were not included in the background report shared with Reed and committee chair Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), sources told The Washington Post.

What next?

The Armed Services Committee approved Hegseth's nomination in a 14-13 party-line vote Monday, and the full Senate is expected to hold his confirmation vote as soon as Thursday. Hegseth has said that, if confirmed, he will stop drinking.