Senator Tim Kaine delivers scathing assessment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s fitness for office as new allegations surface and controversy mounts.
At a Glance
- Senator Tim Kaine criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on CNN, stating he has demonstrated “appalling lack of judgment” in leadership positions
- Senators received an affidavit from Danielle Hegseth alleging Pete Hegseth’s behavior caused his second wife to fear for her safety
- The affidavit claims instances of volatile conduct, emotional abuse, and alcohol problems
- Samantha Hegseth, Pete’s second wife, has denied any physical abuse occurred in their marriage
- Kaine pointed to recent “Signalgate atrocities” as evidence of Hegseth’s poor leadership judgment
Kaine Questions Hegseth’s Judgment and Leadership
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine has publicly challenged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s capabilities, calling him “the wrong person to be our Secretary of Defense.” Speaking on CNN’s “The Source,” Kaine drew a sharp distinction between Hegseth’s military service and his post-service leadership. While acknowledging that Hegseth “served admirably” in uniform, Kaine criticized what he described as an “appalling lack of judgment” in Hegseth’s subsequent leadership roles in various organizations, pointing to this record as the reason many senators, including some Republicans, voted against his confirmation.
New Allegations Surface in Senate Affidavit
The controversy surrounding Hegseth intensified when senators received an affidavit from Danielle Hegseth, the former sister-in-law of the Defense Secretary. The document, submitted in response to a request from Democratic Senator Jack Reed, contains allegations that Pete Hegseth’s behavior caused his second wife, Samantha, to fear for her safety. According to the affidavit, Samantha allegedly hid in a closet during confrontations and developed escape plans due to Hegseth’s volatile conduct.
Senator Reed, who requested the information as part of evaluating Hegseth’s fitness for office, expressed concern about the thoroughness of the background check process. The affidavit claims instances of emotional abuse, alcohol problems, and misogynistic behavior, including allegations that Hegseth appeared drunk while in military uniform at a strip club. The document was provided to members of the Senate Armed Services Committee as they considered Hegseth’s nomination.
“As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this sworn affidavit confirms that fact,” said Sen. Jack Reed.
Denials and Political Divisions
Both Pete Hegseth and his second wife Samantha have denied the allegations. Samantha has specifically denied any physical abuse in their marriage and, according to reports, signed court documents in 2021 stating that neither was a victim of domestic abuse. Pete Hegseth’s lawyer, Tim Parlatore, dismissed the allegations, suggesting they stem from personal grievances held by Danielle Hegseth, describing her as “an anti-Trump far left Democrat who is divorced from Mr. Hegseth’s brother.”
The political divide over Hegseth’s nomination is evident. The Senate Armed Services Committee voted along party lines to advance his nomination to the full Senate, where a simple majority is required for confirmation. However, Kaine noted that even Republicans who initially supported Hegseth have begun to criticize his recent actions and statements, particularly regarding Ukraine and the two “Signalgate” incidents, which Kaine characterized as “atrocities.”
“You’ll notice that even Republicans who voted to confirm Pete Hegseth, like my Armed Services Chair, Roger Wicker, they have come out almost immediately and criticized him for, you know, idiotic comments about Ukraine and other things that he’s done. The first Signalgate challenge and now this one. This guy is just racking up one gaffe after another. Gaffe is a diplomatic term but these things were completely apparent to anyone who had looked at his record as the leader of organizations after he got out of uniformed service,” states Senator Tim Kaine.
