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Pete Hegseth's mom & JD Vance go all guns blazing at media amid report he could be dropped, issue plea to Trump
Pete Hegseth's mother has spoken out amidst reports that Donald Trump is contemplating replacing her son with Ron DeSantis for defence secretary.
Pete Hegseth's mother has spoken out amidst reports that President-elect Donald Trump is contemplating replacing her son with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for defence secretary due to allegations of misconduct.
The CBS News report comes after the former Fox News host's nomination came under intense scrutiny due to historical sexual assault allegation. However, Hegseth, who has denied any wrongdoing, was never held or charged.
Following the Times' publication of a leaked 2018 email in which she attacked her son during his divorce from his second wife, Penelope Hegseth “set the record straight” during her appearance on Fox & Friends on Wednesday morning.
In her plea to President-elect Trump, Hegseth's mother stated: “He's the man for the job. But more than that I believe he's the man for such a time as this.”
Hegseth resigned from his position at Fox News after Trump nominated him for the defence secretary post.
He was thrust into the spotlight right away due to some of his more controversial remarks, such as the assertion that women are not suitable for combat jobs.
Hegseth, 44, has been also accused of sexual assault and becoming intoxicated at work, leading to his removal from a leadership position with a veterans organisation.
However, former coworkers at Fox News have rejected the accusations that Hegseth was drunk.
Pete Hegseth's mother clears the air
Speaking to Fox & Friends, Penelope said that she wrote that email "out of love' and later sent an apology email, which nobody has seen.
Blasting the media, she said, “When they contact you, I let a few phone calls go, but then they call you and they threaten you. That's the first thing they do.”
According to her, they publish stuff as it is unless the person involved makes a statement. “I think that's a despicable way to treat anyone,” Penelope explained, adding that “threats are dangerous” and difficult for families.
Reacting to the NY Times' last week report in which her letter to son Hegseth was leaked, she said, “It feels almost criminal when reporters call you and threaten you.”
She clarified that she wrote the email “in anger, with emotion” and branded the Times “disgusting” for releasing it.
J.D. Vance, the vice president elect, praised Hegseth's mother for speaking out in support of her son.
“The media never talks about the apology because they're trying to destroy him, not tell the truth,” Vance wrote on X.
Here's what Pete Hegseth has to say
Meanwhile, Hegseth spoke to CBS News and said that he spoke with Trump.
Without explicitly addressing the DeSantis reports, the former Fox News host said, “He said 'keep going, keep fighting. I'm behind you all the way.”
In a post on X, Hegseth accused “the Left” of attempting to discredit him with “fake” articles .
His statement also comes at a time when some of his own party members are questioning his nomination.
Calling some of the articles on Hegseth “very disturbing”, Senator Lindsey Graham told CBS: “He obviously has a chance to defend himself here, but some of this stuff is going to be difficult.”
