Former news anchor and political commentator Pete Hegseth officially took the oath of office as the United States Secretary of Defense. The ceremony, held just hours after his confirmation by the Senate, was a family affair as Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer Rauchet, and their seven children proudly looked on.
Vice President JD Vance administered the oath, following a dramatic Senate vote in which Vance broke a 50-50 tie to secure Hegseth’s confirmation. “We don’t want to fight wars. But if we do, we will bring overwhelming force and destroy our enemy,” Hegseth said first after swearing-in. “We will put America first. We will bring peace through strength.”
During his remarks, the new defence secretary laid out his vision for the role, emphasizing to “restore the warrior ethos in everything that we do, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence.”
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“Whatever is needed at the border will be provided. This is a shift. It’s not the way business has been done in the past,” he stated and added, “We’ll absolutely continue to use military aircraft to deport undocumented migrants from the United States.”
Who are Pete Hegseth's wives and kids?
{{/usCountry}}“Whatever is needed at the border will be provided. This is a shift. It’s not the way business has been done in the past,” he stated and added, “We’ll absolutely continue to use military aircraft to deport undocumented migrants from the United States.”
Who are Pete Hegseth's wives and kids?
{{/usCountry}}Pete Hegseth is currently married to Jennifer Rauchet, his third wife. The couple tied the knot in 2019, two years after the birth of their first child together.
Before marrying Jennifer, Hegseth was wed to Samantha Deering, his second wife, from 2010 to 2017. Their marriage ended in divorce following Hegseth affair with Rauchet.
Hegseth’s first marriage was to Meredith Schwarz, whom he married in 2004. The pair were high school sweethearts but divorced in 2009. The New Yorker reported that the split was precipitated by Hegseth’s admission of multiple affairs.
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Hegseth is a now father and stepfather to seven children. He has three biological children—Gunner, Boone, and Rex—from his second marriage to Samantha Deering. With Jennifer Rauchet, he shares a daughter, Gwen.
The Secretary of Defense is a stepfather to Rauchet’s three children from her previous marriage: Jackson, Luke, and Kenzie.