News/Commentary

Hegseth’s mother offers ‘truth’ in face of ‘despicable’ media attacks – says embattled son a ‘changed man’

December 4, 2024 | | Print Article

After getting dragged into corporate media’s “misinformation” campaign against her son, Pete Hegseth’s mom had her say about the “despicable” treatment.

(Video Credit: Fox News)

Kicking off the week, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary faced a continued barrage of reports that included a hit piece in the New Yorker on the heels of the New York Times sharing a private email penned by Hegseth’s mother, Penelope Hegseth.

Wednesday, she joined “Fox & Friends” to share her side of the story after the Gray Lady had reportedly bucked her disapproval of the “disgusting” presentation.

That report kicked off the lengthy conversation as Fox News co-host Steve Doocy read an excerpt from the 2018 email obtained by the Times wherein the mother had spoken “in anger” toward her son.

“Let’s go back seven years, which if we all went back seven years, we would see that maybe we are not the people we are today,” explained Penelope. “They were going through — Pete and his wife at the time were going through a difficult divorce. It was a very emotional time and I’m sure many of you across the country understand how difficult divorce is on a family. There’s emotions. We say things and I wrote that in haste, I wrote that with deep emotions, I wrote that as a parent.”

“About two hours later — my husband tells me I should think through things a little bit more. Pete and I are both very passionate people. I wrote that out of love,” she went on detailing how two hours later she had taken back what she said, “I retracted it with an apology email, but nobody has seen that. It was a difficult time.”

Despite telling the Times that the depiction of her son’s character and behavior was “not true. It has never been true,” the newspaper ran with her email anyway as it had been reported that Sharon LaFraniere was “going to see to it” that Hegseth was not going to be defense secretary.

“I want to say something about the media,” the mother said when given the chance. “Part of today is to discredit the media and how they operate. When they contact you — I let a few phone calls go — but then they call you and say — they threaten you. That’s the first thing they do. They say unless you make a statement, we will publish it as is. And I think that’s a despicable way to treat anyone. Threats are dangerous and they’re hard on families.”

That sentiment was reiterated near the end of the interview when Doocy offered her room to address the Times directly, “I would say, I don’t think the way you operate — it feels almost criminal when reporters call you and threaten you. I don’t think a lot people know that’s the way they operate. They are in it for the commission, for the money, and they don’t care who they hurt: families, children. And I just, I don’t believe that is the right way to do things.”

As she expressed the deep faith her family had in God while corporate media appeared determined to upend Trump’s nomination, so much so that reports of the president-elect turning to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a replacement pick were circulating, Penelope also had a message for the GOP leader.

“Thank you for your belief in my son. We all believe in him. We really believe that he is not the man he was seven years ago. I’m not that mother. And I hope people will hear that story today and the truth of that story,” she had said before noting, “I am here to tell the truth. To tell the truth to the American people and tell the truth to the senators on the hill, especially female senators. I really hope that you will not listen to the media and that you will listen to Pete.”

“I believe that with all my heart, I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t believe he’s the man for the job,” she went on to say having indicated he was a “changed man” and, “Pete and I are very close today. In fact, our whole family is very tight-knit. I think that we as parents. we always parent.”

To her knowledge, Hegseth and Trump had remained in contact and there was no known change of heart on the nomination.

While Trump did not add further commentary, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance addressed the interview and posted on X, “Pete Hegseth’s mom on Fox and Friends this morning defending her son. She points out that she sent an emotional email, and then apologized two hours later. The media never talks about the apology because they’re trying to destroy him, not tell the truth.”

Kevin Haggerty
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