Pete Hegseth defends himself on Megyn Kelly Show amid allegations, ‘I never…’
Pete Hegseth was hit with a raft of allegations shortly after Donald Trump tapped him to serve as his Secretary of Defense.
Pete Hegseth defended himself against allegations of past sexual assault and heavy drinking during an appearance on the Megyn Kelly Show Wednesday. The former Fox News star swore he “never had a drinking problem” following an NBC News report that cited numerous sources claiming he repeatedly arrived drunk on the set of Fox & Friends Weekend.
Pete Hegseth defends himself against sexual assault and heavy drinking allegations
The 44-year-old was hit with a raft of allegations shortly after Donald Trump tapped him to serve as his Secretary of Defense. In the wake of severe outrage against him, Hegseth told a sympathetic Megyn Kelly on Wednesday that he is a victim of “the art of the smear.” “The media is driving with this ridiculous narrative. It’s our turn to, it’s our time to stand up and tell the truth and our side,” he added.
“You know what? That’s an interesting one there. First of all, I never had a drinking problem. I don’t,” Hegseth told Kelly. “No one’s ever approached me and said, you should really look at getting help for a drink. Never. I’ve never sought counselling, never sought help. I respect and appreciate people who do,” he added.
Trump's decision to pick Hegseth to lead the Pentagon has been met with severe criticism as the television presenter's own mother labelled him an “abuser of women” in an old email obtained by The New York Times. Other reports have suggested he created a hostile workplace environment during his time with Concerned Veterans for America (CVA).
Hegseth went on to say, “Do you know how many guys I’m hearing from right now?” “The guys I serve with, gals that I work with at CVA and elsewhere. Don’t stop! The guys are like, it’s always. Sir, you know, don’t stop, sir, please keep going. You are fighting for us like you are our voice. We’ve never had a voice like this before,” he added.
In the wake of the growing concerns surrounding Hegseth, multiple reports have emerged that the president-elect is considering replacing him with Ron DeSantis. However, the Fox News star believes in Trump's promise to him. “Listen, it’s all the president’s choice. I spoke to the president this morning; he said, ‘I’m his guy,” he told Kelly.
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