WASHINGTON, DC—This week, members of the Senate Armed Services Committee received a sworn affidavit recounting specific incidents of Mr. Pete Hegseth’s alcohol abuse, threatening and abusive behavior toward his second wife, and repeated pattern of offensive public misconduct. The affidavit was submitted in response to a formal request from U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and was signed and sworn under penalty of perjury. It has been made available to all Senators to review.

Senator Reed was made aware that this individual was interviewed by the FBI in December 2024 as part of the background investigation on Mr. Hegseth, but details of this testimony did not appear to have been included in the final background check briefing provided by the Trump Transition Team in January. Accordingly, Senator Reed directly requested this individual recount the testimony that she had provided to the FBI.

Senator Reed issued the following statement after reviewing the affidavit:

“As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this affidavit confirms that fact.

“My number one priority is the safety and security of our nation. This has and must always include serious oversight of the U.S. military and its leaders.

“The sworn affidavit from this courageous woman, provided at enormous personal risk and with nothing to gain, documents a disturbing pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth. This behavior would disqualify any servicemember from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.”

Among the incidents recounted to the FBI and cited in the affidavit are the following:

  • Mr. Hegseth abused alcohol regularly and his volatile behavior caused family members to fear for their safety.
  • Mr. Hegseth’s second spouse had an ‘escape plan’ that involved texting a ‘safe word’ to friends and family to urgently request assistance without putting herself in more danger with Mr. Hegseth. This escape plan was executed on at least one occasion.
  • On at least one occasion, Mr. Hegseth’s second spouse hid in her closet out of fear of him.
  • While drunk in his military uniform – a violation of military laws – Mr. Hegseth was so inebriated that his brother had to carry him out of a Minneapolis strip club. This occurred during a drill weekend with the Minnesota National Guard.
  • Mr. Hegseth regularly became so drunk that he passed out, threw up, and had to be carried out of family events and public settings, sometimes shouting sexually and racially offensive statements.
  • Mr. Hegseth said that women should not vote or work, and that Christians needed to have more children so they could overtake the Muslim population.
  • Several other accounts of abusive behavior and public drunkenness.