MAGA world and dozens of other supporters who know him personally are coming out in force to support President-elect Donald Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth has been under siege by a seemingly coordinated media smear campaign, driven by anonymous allegations as far back as a decade.
After the latest anonymously sourced smear dropped on Tuesday, which suggesting he had a drinking problem, there has been an outpouring of support for Hegseth from supporters — including coworkers, friends, and people who know him personally going on the record to call it a flat-out lie.
Among those have come out to support Hegseth and speak out against the smears in the last 24 hours are:
- Will Cain, Hegseth’s former co-host at Fox News
- Dan Bongino, podcast show host
- Nicole Saphier, MD
- Joey Johnny, Marine combat veteran and author
- Kyle Becker, former Fox News writer/associate producer
- Breanna Morello, podcast host/former Fox News producer
- Piers Morgan, British TV host
- Rob Smith, Iraq War veteran and Fox News commentator
- William Case, former Fox News producer
- Lisa Boothe, Fox News host
- Clay Travis, founder of Outkick.com
- Guy Benson, former co-host with Hegseth
- Carol Roth, former Blaze coworker
- Rachel Campos-Duffy, Fox News host
- Evita Duffy, Bongino Report host
- Sara Carter, Fox News contributor
- Lara Logan, investigative journalist
- Mollie Hemingway, editor-in-chief of the Federalist
- Tomi Lahren, show host
- Ximena Barreto, aide to Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
-
Corey A. DeAngelis, American Culture Project senior fellow
- Leo Terrell, Fox News contributor
- Graham Allen, show host
- Charlie Kirk, founder and CEO of Turning Point USA
- Jason Rantz, radio show host
- Monica Crowley, former Trump administration official and Fox News host
- Jon Nicosia, president of News Cycle Media
- Tony Shaffer, author, intelligence operative and Newsmax contributor
- Janice Dean, Fox News cohost and weather anchor
- Brian Brenberg, Fox News Business host
- Dr. Carol Swain, author and political commentator
- Catturd, popular conservative figure
Hegseth’s family have also gone to bat for him.
His mother appeared on Fox & Friends on Wednesday, disavowing the smear pieces, including one that published an angry email she wrote her son in 2018 that was published by the New York Times against her wishes.
She said, “Pete and his wife at the time were going through a very 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.”
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“Pete and I are both very passionate people. I wrote that out of love, and about two hours later, I retracted it with an apology email,” she said.
She also said the Times threatened her, telling her, “Unless you make a statement, we will publish it as is.”
“I think that’s a despicable way to treat anyone. Threats are dangerous and they’re they, they’re hard on families,” she said.
Hegseth’s father has also come out in strong support of his son. He posted on X:
Remember this @LindseyGrahamSC? You and @PeteHegseth teamed up for veterans causes years ago. Support Pete and the #Trump team.
Hegseth’s wife, Jenny Hegseth, posted on Instagram, “This won’t top with Pete. It’s not him they’re after. It’s your values. We won’t back down.”
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