Peggy Hesgeth wrote a scathing email to her son back in 2018 which was just published by The New York Times. Don’t expect her to stand by any of those words if she’s asked to testify during his confirmation hearing.
There was already a long list of reasons why Hegseth should never be confirmed for Defense Secretary, from allegations of sexual assault, to the likelihood he’d fail an FBI background check, to the fact that he’s completely unqualified for the job, to his own coworkers throwing him under the bus on the rape allegations.
And now we’ve a new one to add to the list… his own mother, who accused Hegseth of “mistreating women for years.”
The mother of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, wrote him an email in 2018 saying he had routinely mistreated women for years and displayed a lack of character.
“On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say … get some help and take an honest look at yourself,” Penelope Hegseth wrote, stating that she still loved him.
She also wrote: “I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth.”
The New York Times reached out to Hegseth, and of course she tried to backtrack on what she wrote, claiming that “she had sent her son an immediate follow-up email at the time apologizing for what she had written.”
I don’t believe that for one minute, and if you read the entire text of the email, I don’t think anyone with an ounce of sense will believe that, either.
Son,
I have tried to keep quiet about your character and behavior, but after listening to the way you made Samantha feel today, I cannot stay silent. And as a woman and your mother I feel I must speak out..
You are an abuser of women — that is the ugly truth and I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth.
I am not a saint, far from it.. so don’t throw that in my face,. but your abuse over the years to women (dishonesty, sleeping around, betrayal, debasing, belittling) needs to be called out.
Sam is a good mother and a good person (under the circumstances that you created) and I know deep down you know that. For you to try to label her as “unstable” for your own advantage is despicable and abusive. Is there any sense of decency left in you? She did not ask for or deserve any of what has come to her by your hand. Neither did Meredith.
I know you think this is one big competition and that we have taken her side… bunk… we are on the side of good and that is not you. (Go ahead and call me self-righteous, I don’t care.)
Don’t you dare run to her and cry foul that we shared with us… that’s what babies do. It’s time for someone (I wish it was a strong man) to stand up to your abusive behavior and call it out, especially against women
We still love you, but we are broken by your behavior and lack of character. I don’t want to write emails like this and never thought I would. If it damages our relationship further, then so be it, but at least I have said my piece. [Redacted]
And yes, we are praying for you (and you don’t deserve to know how we are praying, so skip the snarky reply)
I don’t want an answer to this… I don’t want to debate with you. You twist and abuse everything I say anyway. But… On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say… get some help and take an honest look at yourself…
Mom
She want on Fox a year later on Mother’s Day and was fawning all over her son, which you can watch in the clip above.
I’m wondering just how much worse things have to get for Hegseth before he withdraws.
If his mother is called to testify, I don’t expect her to throw her son under the bus, but just reading what she wrote back in 2018 about him will be damning enough on its own. I’ll be breaking out the popcorn, watching her twist herself in knots trying to explain it away.