Email from Pete Hegseth’s mother sparks backlash: ‘Despicably low’

A new report revealing an email from the mother of Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Defense, has sparked backlash.

President-elect Trump named Hegseth, a Fox News commentator and former National Guard officer, to be his defense secretary when he takes office in January. Hegseth’s nomination has already proven controversial. Critics argued that he lacked the necessary experience to lead the department and raised concerns about some of his past statements, including saying that women should not serve in combat.

He came under scrutiny after it was reported that he was accused of sexual assault in 2017, which he denied and was not charged.

The New York Times published the emails of Hegseth’s mother, Penelope Hegseth, in which she expressed concerns about the way he treated women.

In the email she wrote: “You abuse women – that is the ugly truth and I have no respect for a man who belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. “This is you.” This man (and has been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say this, but it is the sad, sad truth.”

These claims have not been proven and she said so Just She sent her son an “immediate” apology. She added that she wrote the email “in anger and with emotion” because there were personal issues with his wife at the time. She said the claims in the email were “not true” and that publishing the email was “disgusting.”

“I know my son. He is a good father and husband,” she said.

Newsweek contacted a lawyer for Hegseth and The New York Times via email for comment.

The report sparked a backlash on social media after it was published. Critics pointed to this to support their argument that Hegseth should not be confirmed as defense minister.

“If Pete Hegseth were an excellent general or proven administrator, the Senate might be able to overlook the fact that he would be the most chaotic character on a season of Real Housewives … but he’s a weekend talk show host,” said Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark Podcastposted on X, formerly Twitter.

“I wonder how Republicans will transform this statement from Pete Hegseth’s OWN MOTHER,” political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen posted on X.

“Hegseth was not suitable for the position of defense minister anyway, simply because he has no experience in leading a large organization. His history with women (as outlined by his mother) also makes him completely unsuitable to lead a department with hundreds of thousands of female employees,” wrote author James Surowiecki.

On the other hand, some conservatives criticized this Just for publishing the emails.

“The New York Times publishes a 6-year-old private email between a mother and her son. This is despicable in many ways. Families have problems. Constant. To make these issues public just to advance a nomination is a nasty point,” posted Sean Parnell, a former combat veteran who previously ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican in Pennsylvania.

“These cops don’t work anymore. We got through it. This train is already moving. Get in or get run over. Cry. Whining. Lie. Smear. We don’t care. The adults do.” “I’m in charge now,” wrote author and podcaster Kira Davis.