Washington – Senators have received an affidavit from the former sister-in-law of defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, alleging that his behavior caused his second wife to fear for her safety.
The affidavit, submitted by Danielle Hegseth, describes a volatile and threatening relationship between Pete Hegseth and his second wife, Samantha Hegseth. The allegations include claims that Samantha hid in a closet from Hegseth, developed escape plans, and even activated one of the plans after texting Danielle a code word.
Hegseth’s second wife, Samantha, declined to comment on the allegations, saying only that there was no physical abuse in their marriage. However, the affidavit also includes claims that Hegseth was abusive to Samantha and that she developed plans to escape from him.
Pete Hegseth’s lawyer, Tim Parlatore, dismissed the allegations, saying that Samantha never alleged abuse and that the claims are being made by Danielle, who is a former sister-in-law and has an axe to grind against the Hegseth family.
The allegations have raised new questions about the scope and thoroughness of the FBI’s background check of Hegseth and what members and staffers of the Armed Services Committee knew, and when, about the allegations. The committee’s Democratic ranking member, Sen. Jack Reed, has called for a more exhaustive background investigation, citing concerns about Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct.
The FBI declined to comment on the allegations, but a source familiar with the background check process expressed frustration with the process, saying that the parameters of what the FBI can and should look into are determined by the organization requesting it.
The allegations come as Hegseth’s nomination is expected to come before the full Senate as early as Thursday.