President Donald Trump’s Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth is backtracking on a last-minute affidavit from his ex-sister-in-law with new allegations.
Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy C. Parlatore, wrote Wednesday to Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., to refute the claims. created by Danielle Dietrichformerly Hegseth, in her affidavit.
“While it is difficult to respond to or acknowledge anonymous allegations, the benefit of someone putting their name on the record is that we can investigate their credibility and bias. In this case, the credibility and bias are easy to distinguish,” he says. said in correspondence obtained by Fox News Digital.
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Pete Hegseth’s attorney is urging senators not to rely on an affidavit from his brother’s ex-wife. (Reuters)
Dietrich’s affidavit was obtained by Fox News on Tuesday. Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, once married to his brother, claimed that Hegseth had an alcohol abuse problem and that his ex-wife, Samantha, sometimes feared for her safety.
She provided a number of anecdotes in the affidavit, including an event where Samantha allegedly hid in a closet from her husband.
However, Dietrich noted that she herself never witnessed any abuse, physical or sexual, by Pete against Samantha.
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The affidavit also referenced anecdotes about Hegseth’s alleged heavy drinking, citing several specific occasions, including one at a strip club.
After the affidavit was reported, Sen. Jack ReedDR.I., the committee’s ranking member, said in a statement: “As I have been saying for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual abuse, alcohol abuse and public misconduct necessitate an extensive background check. I am concerned that the background check was inadequate, and this statement confirms my fears.
“The alleged pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth is disturbing. This conduct would disqualify any service member from holding a leadership position in the military, let alone an appointment as Secretary of Defense.”
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Hegseth had a committee hearing last week. (Anna Geldmaker)
In the document, Dietrich further suggested that her former brother-in-law is not fit to be defense minister.
“She openly admits that her goal is to derail the nomination and Democrats have promised that such a statement would have that effect,” Parlatore said in his letter to Wicker.
He pointed out that the “vast majority” of what Dietrich referred to were events they admitted not having witnessed. “She contradicts Sam’s affidavits in the divorce proceedings, in which she acknowledges that no abuse occurred,” Hegseth’s attorney added.
Parlatore also pointed out that her claims “inadvertently” accuse Samantha of lying during Hegseth’s FBI background check.
“It is important to note that Ms. Dietrich told all of this to the FBI on December 30, 2024, but the FBI was unable to substantiate her claims, which were then flatly refuted by Sam, the actual participant,” he said.
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Scott blasted Democrats for obstructing the confirmation process. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“There is no basis for admitting this deeply flawed and questionable affidavit, which was filed at the 11th hour in a clear and admittedly biased attempt to derail Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation,” the letter concluded.
While Democrats were quick to claim that the affidavit confirmed Hegseth is unfit for the role, Republicans singled them out for seeking to obstruct the confirmation process.
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“They’re just the Democrats, they’re obstructionists,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters.
“They’re just trying to make sure Trump doesn’t have his government team together. It’s not good for the American public. President Trump won the election. If he were to win the electoral vote by (a) significant margin They must stop obstruction,” he continued.
