In a stunning revelation that has left political circles and media followers in shock, Fox News host Pete Hegseth finds himself under renewed scrutiny. Amid resurfaced allegations from his own mother calling him an “abus3:r of women,” Hegseth admitted to having five affairs during his first marriage — a confession that’s reignited questions about the man behind the camera.

Pete Hegseth, a prominent figure in conservative media and a recent nominee for Secretary of Defense, has faced significant scrutiny regarding his personal conduct, including accusations from his own mother and admitted infidelity during his first marriage. These issues have come to light during intense public and political examination of his past.

In 2018, during his contentious second divorce, an email reportedly sent by Hegseth’s mother, Penelope Hegseth, to her son resurfaced. In the email, she allegedly referred to him as an “abuser of women,” accusing him of “dishonesty, sleeping around, betrayal, debasing, belittling” women. The email, obtained by The New York Times, stated: “You are an abuser of women — that is the ugly truth and I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth.”

While Penelope Hegseth later publicly recanted these statements, claiming they were written in anger and emotional turmoil during his divorce and that she had apologized to her son, the initial accusation garnered significant attention. She subsequently told The New York Times that her initial email was “not true” and that her son is “a good father, husband.”

Beyond his mother’s accusations, Hegseth has openly admitted to having multiple affairs during his first marriage to Meredith Schwarz. They were high school sweethearts who married in 2004 and divorced in 2009. Reports indicate that Schwarz filed for divorce after Hegseth confessed to five affairs. Sources close to the couple stated that the infidelity left Schwarz “emotionally and psychologically devastated.”

Hegseth’s personal life has been marked by a series of high-profile relationships. After his first divorce, he married Samantha Deering in 2010. While still married to Deering, he fathered a child with Jennifer Rauchet, a Fox executive producer, in 2017. Deering filed for divorce shortly thereafter. Hegseth subsequently married Rauchet in 2019.

These revelations, combined with other allegations including a 2017 rape accusation (which he denied, settling out of court), and claims of drunkenness and financial mismanagement during his time leading veterans’ advocacy groups, have brought Hegseth’s character and past conduct under intense public and political scrutiny, particularly in light of his nomination for a high-profile government position. His confirmation process is expected to include a thorough examination of these personal matters.