Major Controversies Surrounding Pete Hegseth: A Detailed Timeline

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Pete Hegseth.

Pete Hegseth is an American author, former television personality, and former Army National Guard officer. According to the input, he has served as the 29th United States secretary of defense since 2025.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2001: Criticizes Halle Berry's Academy Award

In 2001, the editors of The Princeton Tory criticized Halle Berry for accepting the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Monster's Ball "on behalf of an entire race".

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April 2002: Defends Western Civilization

In April 2002, as publisher of The Princeton Tory, Hegseth declared he would "defend the pillars of Western civilization against the distractions of diversity".

2014: Criticizes Obama

In 2014, Concerned Veterans of America, a group Hegseth worked for, criticized Obama for the Veterans Health Administration controversy.

2015: Axe-Throwing Incident

In 2015, Hegseth threw an axe during a Flag Day event in New York City, accidentally hitting a drummer from the United States Military Academy, leading to a lawsuit.

January 2016: Leaves Concerned Veterans for America

In January 2016, Hegseth left Concerned Veterans for America after allegations of financial mismanagement and alcoholism.

October 2017: Hegseth Allegedly Sexually Assaults Woman

In October 2017, Hegseth allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course in Monterey, California. The Monterey Police Department investigated the incidents, but he was not criminally charged.

January 2018: Monterey County district attorney declined to file charges

In January 2018, Monterey County district attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni declined to file charges against Hegseth, stating that there was not proof beyond a reasonable doubt regarding the accusations made against him.

April 2018: Hegseth's mother accused him of mistreating women

In April 2018, an email from Pete Hegseth's mother, Penny, was sent, accusing him of mistreating women for years.

October 2018: Migrant Caravan Comments

In October 2018, Trump claimed that "unknown Middle Easterners" had infiltrated the migrant caravan, apparently citing a comment Hegseth had made on Fox & Friends.

August 2019: Video Games and Mass Shootings

In August 2019, Trump repeated claims Hegseth had made correlating video games with mass shootings after two mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton.

2019: Hegseth Describes Climate Change as Attempt at Government Control

In 2019, Hegseth described climate change as an attempt at government control on Fox & Friends.

2019: Lawsuit Resolved

In 2019, the lawsuit filed by Jeff Prosperie against Hegseth was resolved in an unspecified way following the 2015 axe-throwing incident.

January 2020: Hegseth Supports Trump's Threat to Destroy Iranian Cultural Sites

In January 2020, Hegseth supported Donald Trump's threat to destroy Iranian cultural sites.

May 2020: Hegseth Claims Communist Chinese Want to End Our Civilization

In May 2020, Hegseth said the "communist Chinese" want to "end our civilization".

2020: Hegseth Pays Accuser as Part of Non-Disclosure Agreement

In 2020, The Washington Post reported that Hegseth paid the accuser as part of a non-disclosure agreement.

2020: Hegseth Characterizes Americanism and Criticizes Movements in American Crusade

In 2020, in his book American Crusade, Hegseth characterized "Americanism" as opposition to movements such as feminism, globalism, Marxism, and progressivism. He expressed support for election-rigging through gerrymandering and described progressives and Democrats as enemies of freedom.

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March 2021: Barred From Duty

In March 2021, Hegseth was barred from serving on duty at the inauguration of Joe Biden after being flagged as an "insider threat" due to a tattoo.

2022: Returns Harvard Degree

In 2022, Hegseth protested classes in critical race theory at Harvard University by reportedly writing "Return to sender" on his degree and sending it back to the university.

2023: Mentioned in Dominion Voting Systems Lawsuit

In 2023, in Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News Network, a segment of Fox & Friends Weekend featuring Hegseth was included, related to claims of voting fraud.

November 2024: Hegseth States Women Should Not Serve in Combat Roles

In November 2024, Hegseth stated that women should not serve in combat roles during a podcast interview with Shawn Ryan.

November 2024: Nominated for Secretary of Defense

In November 2024, President-elect Trump nominated Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense. Hegseth's confirmation was decided by Vice President JD Vance, and faced allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and excessive drinking.

November 2024: The New York Times obtained an email from Hegseth's mother

In November 2024, The New York Times obtained an email from Hegseth's mother, Penny, from April 2018, accusing her son of having mistreated women for years.

November 2024: Vanity Fair Reports on Alleged Sexual Assault by Hegseth

In November 2024, Vanity Fair reported that Hegseth had allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa in October 2017.

2024: Hegseth Denies Allegations Before Senate Committee

In 2024, Pete Hegseth appeared before the Senate Committee on Armed Services, presenting himself as a "warrior" and denying allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and alcohol issues. He was criticized for his previous claims about women in combat roles and for using the term "jagoff" in his book The War on Warriors (2024).

January 2025: NBC News reported an affidavit alleging Hegseth made his wife concerned for her safety

In January 2025, NBC News reported that Samantha's sister Danielle had sent an affidavit to senators alleging that Hegseth had made his wife concerned for her safety.

January 2025: Associated Press Reports Hegseth Paid Accuser $50,000

In January 2025, The Associated Press reported that Hegseth had paid the accuser US$50,000.

February 2025: Hegseth Orders Funding Cuts and Purge in Department of Defense

In February 2025, Hegseth ordered officials within the Department of Defense to reduce funding on most initiatives. He also began a purge, firing top judge advocate generals and the chief of naval operations.

March 2025: Hegseth Cancels Climate Change Studies

In March 2025, Hegseth canceled climate change studies, decrying the phenomenon as "crap" on social media. He sought to eliminate climate planning from the Department of Defense, but included an exception for extreme weather preparation.

March 2025: Hegseth Shares Information in Signal Group Chat

In March 2025, Jeffrey Goldberg reported that he was accidentally included in a Signal group chat where Hegseth shared information about attacks in Yemen hours before they occurred. This incident raised concerns about potential espionage.

August 2025: Shared a video from CNN featuring Douglas Wilson

In August 2025, Hegseth favorably shared a video from CNN featuring Douglas Wilson, with Hegseth commenting on a video that included a pastor from Wilson's church calling for the repeal of women's right to vote, another pastor stating that husbands should cast votes for their entire household, and Wilson stating that women should not hold leadership positions in the military.

2025: Hegseth's Wife Attends Meetings with Foreign Officials

In 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported that Hegseth brought his wife to meetings with foreign defense officials where sensitive information was discussed. Also, Hegseth's brother, Phil, was listed as a senior adviser to Hegseth, accompanying him to meetings.