Rumors about Pete Hegseth’s turbulent past continue to mount. According to reports revealed by The New Yorker, the former Fox News anchor, Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Defense, was removed from leading two veterans’ advocacy organizations due to internal allegations of mismanagement and personal misconduct.
A report obtained by the magazine alleges that during his time as head of one of these nonprofit groups, Hegseth was repeatedly drunk at work events and meetings with staff. He also appears to have sexually harassed female staff members and the organization ignored the alleged sexual misconduct of another of his staff members.
The news comes in the wake of a sexual assault allegation dating back to 2017, which Trump’s trusted man has denied committing and for which no charges have been filed.
The seven-page report was written by former employees of Concerned Veterans for America, the advocacy group of which Hegseth was president from 2013 to 2016. According to the New Yorker, in the past Hegseth had to be restrained from joining dancers on stage at a Louisiana strip club where he had brought his team. At the time, the organization also allegedly ignored an employee’s allegations that another member of Hegseth’s staff attempted to sexually assault her at that same strip club.
The New Yorker alleges that his management team “sexually harassed” employees and divided the organization’s female employees into two groups: “party girls” and “non-party girls.” In a separate complaint, a staff member, on the other hand, alleged that during a business trip to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Hegseth and others close to him locked themselves in a hotel bar and shouted “Kill all Muslims!” several times.
According to other sources, on another occasion, the 44-year-old passed out during a party, allegedly from the massive amount of alcohol he had consumed, urinating in front of the hotel where he was staying. Hegseth served as head of Concerned Veterans for America after a previous controversial stint leading Vets for Freedom, a nonprofit organization supported by billionaire Republican megadonors.
The former Fox host mismanaged this association, squandering thousands of dollars and losing donor support. His record of personal conduct and management only adds to doubts about his ability to lead the Department of Defense, an agency with 3 million independents and an $857 billion budget.
Previously known allegations against Hegseth include sexual harassment and mistreatment of his ex-wife Samantha as well. A few days ago, news had emerged that the New York Times had traced a 2018 email written by his mother, Penelope Hegseth, denouncing his misogynistic and abusive behavior. The woman later denied the content of the email in a telephone interview with the newspaper, speaking of a missive dictated by anger.
On Nov. 21, another of Trump’s nominees had withdrawn because of concerns about sexual allegations: Matt Gaetz, chosen for the Department of Justice, was then immediately replaced with former Florida prosecutor Pam Bondi. Gaetz’s nomination had provoked criticism for weeks, related in large part to the sensitive file compiled by a House of Representatives committee on, among other things, his association with underage escorts.
