Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Pete Hegseth.
Peter Brian Hegseth is an American television presenter, author, and Army National Guard officer. He has served as the United States secretary of defense since January 2025.
2001: Criticism of Halle Berry
In 2001, editors of The Princeton Tory criticized Halle Berry for accepting the Academy Award for Best Actress.
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April 2002: Defense of Western Civilization
In April 2002, Hegseth, as publisher of The Princeton Tory, declared his intention to "defend the pillars of Western civilization against the distractions of diversity."
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January 2009: Unpaid Bills at Vets for Freedom
By January 2009, Vets for Freedom had accrued hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid bills, leading to an internal campaign to oust Hegseth.
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2014: Criticized Obama for Veterans Controversy
In 2014, Concerned Veterans of America, where Hegseth worked, criticized Obama for the Veterans Health Administration controversy.
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June 2015: Axe-Throwing Incident
In June 2015, Hegseth threw an axe during a Flag Day event, accidentally hitting a drummer from the United States Military Academy.
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October 2018: Trump Cited Hegseth on Migrant Caravan
In October 2018, Trump cited a comment that Hegseth had made on Fox & Friends about "unknown Middle Easterners" infiltrating a migrant caravan, though Hegseth admitted he hadn't verified the statement.
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August 2019: Trump Repeated Claims on Video Games and Mass Shootings
In August 2019, Trump repeated claims that Hegseth had made correlating video games with mass shootings after mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton.
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May 2020: Comments on Chinese Government
In May 2020, Pete Hegseth stated the "communist Chinese" want to "end our civilization".
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March 2021: Barred from Duty at Biden Inauguration
In March 2021, Hegseth was barred from serving on duty at the inauguration of Joe Biden after being flagged as an "insider threat".
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2022: Protested Critical Race Theory at Harvard
In 2022, Hegseth protested the offering of classes in critical race theory at Harvard University by sending back his degree.
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November 2024: Comments on Women in Combat Roles
In November 2024, Pete Hegseth stated that women should not serve in combat roles during a podcast interview with Shawn Ryan.
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November 2024: Sexual Assault Allegation Reported
In November 2024, Vanity Fair reported that Pete Hegseth allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in October 2017. The Monterey Police Department investigated two incidents of sexual assault, but Hegseth was not charged.
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December 2024: Labeled a Christian Nationalist
In December 2024, The New York Times wrote that Pete Hegseth was a self-avowed Christian nationalist.
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