Concerns have surfaced regarding Pete Hegseth’s conduct at Fox News, with allegations from multiple current and former employees detailing instances of excessive drinking. These revelations raise questions not only about his behavior as a media personality but also about his suitability for roles demanding utmost responsibility and sobriety, particularly in light of his past consideration for a high-profile government position. This report delves into the accusations surrounding Hegseth’s drinking habits during his time at Fox News and examines the potential ramifications for his career moving forward.
According to ten current and former Fox News employees who spoke with NBC News, Pete Hegseth, co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend” since 2017, reportedly exhibited concerning drinking habits that worried his colleagues. Two individuals specifically stated they detected the smell of alcohol on Hegseth on more than a dozen occasions before he was scheduled to appear on air. These same sources, along with another colleague, recounted instances where Hegseth allegedly appeared on television after openly discussing feeling hungover while preparing for the show or already on set. One source claimed to have smelled alcohol on him as recently as last month and overheard him complaining about hangovers this past fall. Despite these concerns, none of the sources could recall Hegseth missing a scheduled appearance due to drinking. As one former Fox employee noted, “Everyone would be talking about it behind the scenes before he went on the air.”
Further scrutiny of Hegseth’s past behavior extends beyond his Fox News tenure. A report by The New Yorker detailed concerns about his drinking habits during his time at two non-profit veterans’ groups prior to joining Fox. Specifically, a whistleblower report concerning Hegseth’s presidency of Concerned Veterans for America from 2013 to 2016 allegedly described him as being repeatedly intoxicated while performing his official duties, even to the point of requiring physical assistance to leave organizational events. In response to these allegations detailed in The New Yorker, Tim Parlatore, Hegseth’s lawyer, dismissed them as “outlandish claims laundered through The New Yorker by a petty and jealous disgruntled former associate of Mr. Hegseth’s,” and challenged the publication’s journalistic integrity.
This account of Hegseth’s time at Fox News is based on interviews conducted by NBC News with three current and seven former Fox employees, all of whom requested anonymity due to fears of retaliation. Three current employees confirmed that concerns regarding his drinking persisted until Trump reportedly considered him for a position running the Pentagon, after which Hegseth departed from Fox. A former employee characterized Hegseth as “a charming guy, but he just acted like the rules didn’t apply to him.”
A spokesperson for the Trump transition team issued a statement vehemently denying the allegations: “These disgusting allegations are completely unfounded and false, and anyone peddling these defamatory lies to score political cheap shots is sickening. As a decorated combat veteran, Pete has never done anything to jeopardize that, and he is treating his nomination as the most important deployment of his life.” Hegseth’s lawyer, Parlatore, directed NBC News to this statement from the Trump transition spokesperson. Fox News has not issued any response to requests for comment.
The descriptions of Hegseth’s behavior from former colleagues raise significant questions about his capacity to handle the demanding, around-the-clock responsibilities inherent in managing the Pentagon and its vast workforce of 3 million civilian and military personnel. The role of Defense Secretary necessitates constant availability and the ability to respond swiftly and decisively to crises that can arise at any hour. Illustrative examples include Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin being awakened at 3 a.m. local time in February 2023 while in Manila to address the unfolding situation with a Chinese spy balloon, and the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel commencing around midnight Eastern Time. Furthermore, the Defense Department’s crucial role in safeguarding U.S. cities and infrastructure against threats, potentially requiring split-second decisions on matters of life and death, underscores the critical need for unwavering judgment and alertness in its leadership. Reflecting these concerns, one former Fox employee expressed hope that Hegseth has ceased drinking “for the sake of national security,” while another stated unequivocally, “He should not be secretary of defense. His drinking should be disqualifying.”
Historical precedent exists for such concerns impacting political appointments. In 1989, the Senate rejected President George H.W. Bush’s nomination of former Sen. John Tower as defense secretary, partly due to worries regarding Tower’s history of alcohol consumption.
The fast-paced environment of morning television at Fox News further illuminates the alleged challenges. For “Fox & Friends Weekend,” which begins at 6 a.m. ET, female co-hosts would typically arrive around 4 a.m. for hair and makeup, while male co-hosts, including Hegseth, generally arrived around 5 or 5:15 a.m., approximately 45 minutes before going live. However, one current and two former Fox employees described feeling the need to “babysit” Hegseth due to his drinking and late nights. According to one source, “We’d have to call him to make sure he didn’t oversleep because we knew he’d be out partying the night before.” Another added, “Morning TV is stressful, and more times than not Pete made it even more stressful.” Sources indicated that Hegseth sometimes arrived with as little as 20 minutes before airtime, causing significant stress for his colleagues. Makeup application for Hegseth occasionally had to be completed while he was already on set due to his late arrivals, though sources could not definitively attribute his lateness solely to drinking.
The whistleblower report detailed in The New Yorker also alleged instances of heavy drinking by Hegseth at work-related events, including a team outing to a strip club in Louisiana in November 2014. The report claimed he became so intoxicated that he “had to be restrained” from going on stage to dance with performers. Two former employees also confirmed that Hegseth drank heavily at social events with Fox News colleagues, with one stating he would become “absolutely wasted.”
In a separate incident, the Monterey, California, Police Department recently released records from a 2017 investigation into a sexual assault accusation against Hegseth following a Republican women’s convention. The accuser, identified as “Jane Doe,” suggested she may have been drugged. Hegseth has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and no charges were ever filed. Hegseth’s lawyer, Parlatore, stated that the police report “confirms what I’ve said all along. The incident was fully investigated and police found the allegation to be false, which is why no charges were filed.” Despite maintaining his innocence, Hegseth confirmed he paid the woman an undisclosed settlement. Parlatore previously described this settlement as a decision made at the “height of the MeToo movement” for a “significantly reduced amount,” and characterized his client as “innocent collateral damage in a lie that the Complainant was holding onto to keep her marriage intact.”
The accumulation of these allegations concerning Pete Hegseth’s drinking habits and past conduct raises serious questions about his judgment and reliability, particularly for roles demanding high levels of responsibility and public trust. While Hegseth and his representatives have denied or downplayed many of these claims, the consistent accounts from multiple sources paint a concerning picture. As the controversy unfolds, the implications for his future career, both within and potentially beyond Fox News, remain uncertain. The question of whether this controversy will impact his standing at Fox News and potentially open the door for others to take his place on the network is now a topic of considerable speculation.
