Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly attacked her ex-colleague Pete Hegseth’s marriage history but still defended him against sexual assault allegations.
Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, worked at Fox News alongside Kelly from 2014 to 2017. Kelly appeared on The Charlie Kirk Show, telling the far-right influencer she doesn’t “recommend marrying” Hegseth – before defending him against allegations of sexual assault.
“I’m gonna be honest, like looking at his marital history, it’s not an example of fidelity,” Kelly told Kirk. “I’m just gonna be honest and admit that upfront.”
Hegseth married his first wife Meredith Schwarz in 2004 before their divorce five years later. Then, while married to his second wife Samantha Deering, Hegseth had a child with Jennifer Rauchet, a Fox producer at the time.
Hegseth and Deering split in 2017. He married Rauchet, who no longer works at Fox, two years later.
“However, having difficulty in one’s personal relationship, especially after having served two tours - which it’s not uncommon for these combat vets to come back and not be able to navigate their love lives all that well - is much different than being a rapist,” Kelly continued.
Hegseth was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Monterey, California in 2017, two months after divorcing Deering. The woman said Hegseth took her phone, blocked the door to a hotel room and refused to let her leave before assaulting her, according to a police report of the incident released Wednesday.
Hegseth paid the woman as part of a non-disclosure agreement because he was concerned he’d get fired from Fox News over the allegation, The Washington Post reported. Despite the payment, he has maintained the encounter was consensual.
The veteran has denied all wrongdoing, and local authorities cleared him after investigating the incident.
“The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared,” Hegseth said.
Meanwhile, Hegseth is also facing backlash over a tattoo with reported links to white supremacy.
Hegseth has the phrase “Deus Vult” tattooed on his bicep, which has been used by white supremacists. “Deus Vult” is Latin for “God Wills It,” and was a rallying cry for Christian crusaders in the Middle Ages. The tattoo previously resulted in Hegseth being flagged as a possible “Insider Threat” by a fellow service member due to its associations with white supremacy, the Associated Press reported.
Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, previously defended the tattoo.
“Mr. Hegseth has the necessary experience and qualifications to implement President Trump’s pro-America policies, and none of these left-wing media concocted falsehoods will work to stop that mission,” Cheung said.
