Pete Hegseth's mother sets record straight: 'He's a warrior'

all right former Fox and Friends Weekend co-host Pete Heth has been at the center of an intense media scrutiny ever since being named Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense Pete has faced several accusations including abuse sexual assault and more there was also a leaked email from Pete's mom from 2018 that was published in the New York Times and in it she was critical of his past relationships with women Pete's mother Penelope heg that joins us live on the set to tell us what uh she wanted to tell us you called us yesterday and you

said you wanted to come on I did I said I would do anything for my son I completely get this um you never in a million years thought you would be doing this no because you didn't realize that this email you wrote in 2018 somebody leaked it to the New York Times and they printed it I'm going to read part of it you say this is two PE he during the 2018 divorce you say I have no respect for any man that belittles lies cheats and sleeps around and you go on and say 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 a sad sad truth you say we still love you but we are broken by your behavior and your lack of character when you wrote that what's the backstory what was going on that made you so angry you wanted to write that well I will tell that story in a moment but let me make two statements first and one is to president Trump and I want to say thank you for your belief in my

son uh we all believe in him we really believe that he is not that man he was seven years ago I'm not that mother and I hope people will heal that hear that story today and the truth of that story so the other thing I want to say is I am here to tell the truth uh to tell the truth to the American people and tell the truth to the Senators on the hill especially our female senators I really hope that you will not um listen to the media and that you will listen to Pete

well and you're here to tell us because you are in the news now so why did you write that email in 2018 well let going on right let's go back seven years which if we all went back seven years we would we would see that maybe we're not the people we are today but um they were going through Pete and his wife at the time were going through a very difficult divorce it was a very emotional time and I'm sure many of you across the country understand how difficult divorce is on a family uh there's

emotions um we say things and I wrote that in haste I wrote that with Deep Emotions I wrote wrot that as a parent and about two hours later I should I my husband tells me I should think through things a little bit more but uh Pete and I are both very passionate people uh I wrote that out of love and about two hours later I retracted it with an apology email but nobody's seen that so um it was it was a difficult time I I want to say something about the media and um part of

today is to discredit the media and how operate um when they contact you um I let a few phone calls go but then they call you and say they threaten you that's the first thing they do right they say unless you make a statement we will publish it as is and I think that's a Despicable way uh to to treat anyone threats are are dangerous and they're they they're hard on families so to recap you were angry about what was going on his behavior during the divorce uh and so you wrote that email and then

you know a couple hours later you apologized and you guys talk and you worked it out yes oh yeah oh yeah uh Pete and I are very close today our in fact our whole family is very tight-knit um but I I I think that we as parents we always parent no I get it I mean and that was seven years ago um I want to talk in a minute about who Pete is today right there are and you wanted to come on to talk a little bit and you mentioned a moment ago the media scrutiny

you know there are allegations uh of sexual assault excessive alcohol use infidelity Financial mismanagement as a parent that's really hard to it's hard to hear right well our job is parents are to correct they are to um speak truth um and I am a passionate person like Pete and and sometimes emotional words come out I don't believe any of that is true uh any of it um and I'm here I wouldn't be sitting on this in this chair today if I didn't believe that about my son right how's the family holding up oh we we're

okay uh we have a deep deep Faith um not only in each other but in God and our friends have been amazing this support we've been receiving has been amazing um so we're trusting in in um our God and in our faith and in our family what do you say to people who have read the stuff about Pete or heard the stuff about Pete you're here you said he has changed oh absolutely how how do you convince people of that okay well I start with four things first I have very intelligent son I have a

leader son I've known that since he was two um he he went to Princeton in Harvard by the way he returned the Harvard diploma uh but I wouldn't let him return the Princeton because I work too hard for that one that one's GNA stay that's on his wall um he's written two New York Times bestsellers um who's who what mother can say that and one of them is about war and defense so he already has a Playbook um so you talk about experience uh he's also put his life on the line twice over Seas for

our country one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan uh I'm a very proud blue star mom there it is right there and I he's still a warrior and that's why he's still fighting that's why we're all still fighting because we believe in the good you know and usually with confirmation hearings uh and and the process you just hear from the nominee they go and they visit everybody you were dragged into the story because the New York Times uh wrote that you know they they reported on that email that you sent back in 2018 but you

know for for the most part and what I've heard you say this morning is you wanted to come on because that was not the whole story no no and and I want people to look at Pete judge people or understand him for who he is today and to disregard the media that was seven years ago and most of it is misinformation and uh the way they threaten you I think is is um very hurtful and the person who leaked it I I don't know who that is um and I don't think I will need to

um but Pete is a a new person he's redeemed forgiven changed I think we all are after seven years uh I believe he's the man for the job I think being a TV News host I think prepares you for most things in a position like this you're a good communicator you have to think on your feet you take charge so I think everybody should do a year with Fox there you go um it's got to be tough as his mother to hear the drip drip drip because every day more stuff comes out it's like you

you probably hate to turn on uh your your phone because it's like hey it's my cousin telling me the latest news about but I know Pete and the people who know us know Pete and Trump knows Pete and he knows the Pete of today and he knows the Pete who is a good father a good husband to Jen he's got seven kids he's a wonderful son wonderful son and a wonderful son to his brothers and all his friends uh he's a changed man and I just hope people will will get to know who Pete is

today uh especially our dear female senators that you would listen to him listen with your heart to the truth of Pete and what I heard you said say just a moment ago Penny was he's a changed man he is so the man you wrote to in 2018 who you were really mad at as a mom he is different than that man absolutely I believe that with all my heart and I I wouldn't be sitting here if I didn't believe he's the man for the job what do you as you look at what is going on

in Washington DC correct this this is the way it works you know there there are people people who want Pete to get the job there are people who don't want Pete to get the job as a mother that's that's got to be tough well the they don't like my son then you add on these allegations and it's like okay it becomes a little more complicated you know Pete becomes much more complicated Pete and I are both Warriors and we've we've I've developed a really tough skin over the years first raising Pete and then and then

going through War saying goodbye to his son to war um what mom needs to do that and then his accomplishments and his qualities as a leader um he is strong yeah he is capable and uh I think his experience I think the people that Trump has picked are are not the ones you would expect and I love that yeah do you given the fact that you have suddenly become part of the story because of the 2018 email you sent Pete as a parent do you feel a little guilty man I I wish I hadn't written

that because now I have made a mess well don't you think everyone has regrets as a parent uh it's not an easy job and and we've all made mistakes we've all and I would challenge anyone who thinks they're qualified to throw the first stone does it upset you that it has brought so much scrutiny to your family well that's hard I mean yes that is hard because there are people looking you know throughout his entire history and whatever that means yeah but we've been through a lot as a family and our faith has um assured

us that greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world and no matter what the results um we know that uh God is for us our friends are for us thank you friends you know who you are out there Fox and Friends too but but our dear friends who've been supporting us through prayer right and you did mention uh Donald Trump you you thanked him in the beginning when you made your your comments has Pete heard from Mr Trump oh yeah they talk often and what's what's going on between the

two well the other night I heard that everything was good so I I'm not I'm not in that world directly but I think he's I think Trump is a good man and I think he's picked some good nominees and I think the Senators need to listen um do do you worry Penny though that you know Donal Trum Trump's trying to hit the ground running of course um you know in less than 50 days and this the Pete hex set stuff has become a distraction um to a degree um but I think it can be overcome

I think people need to listen to him get to know him not the Pete from seven years ago but the Pete of today right during the confirmation hearings uh coming up if Pete continues with this nomination process you might be called would you testify in front of Congress I don't have an answer to that right now Steve uh I hadn't thought about that what about the PE the other people involved in the other allegations uh they too will probably be called to tell their story because you you wanted to come on to tell to tell

your side of story which which you have they will probably get that same opportunity yeah well that's up to them um I I only have so much control yeah but I want to make two final statements I want to thank Fox News for all of you at Fox um from makeup to um to cameramen to producers to the other hosts and how you've grown him yeah as a leader because I I think everybody should do a year on Fox uh you learn to be a communicator you learn to be uh take charge Penny what's what's

something you know he worked here uh until just like a week ago I know um we all know him what's as his mother what's what's one thing about PE people don't realize uh that he's got a big heart that he's very smart he's a the most he is the most faithful Patriot of this country he loves his country loves his country he's fought and almost died for his country he's um he's a good dad he's an amazing son and father and that's the that's the Pete I want people to know and then I want to

say one more thing I said I believe he's the man for the job but more than that I believe he's the man for such a time as this at this time you're on TV explaining your son and his character yes cuz somebody gave the New York Times that uh that email how many people got your email was it just to Pete um you know I I haven't been able to track that like like my blind copy or my copy um I don't think that's important right now I think what's very important is that the truth

uh be told about that email and that we look at Pete today not then and um I'm here you say it's important that people know the truth truth is there some part of that story that has been depicted in the media that is not true oh of course of course um you know he's he's I don't want to use the words but he he doesn't misuse women no I mean um he you know he's been through some difficult things um I'm not going to list them by name but I I would just say that some

of those some of those attachments or descriptions are just not true especially anymore it it sounds like you're a little disillusioned have you lost trust in how things happen no listen I came to take on New York City to take on the New York Times to be a mother a strong mother a fighter what's your message to the New York Times I would say I I don't think the way you operate is it feels almost criminal uh when reporters call you and threaten you I don't think a lot of people know that's the way they

operate and uh they they are in it for the commission for the money um and they don't care who they hurt families children and um I just I don't believe that that is the right way to do things do you think that's just the way they try to get the story oh of course it's their job but um I can take the opposite view I can take the high road I can take the belief in good and the good in people and um will we be persecuted will we suffer in life yes sure we will

but I know in whom I believe I believe in God I believe in Pete I believe in my family my husband of 48 years hi honey um he is in Tennessee uh taking care of Pete's four children all the 21 chickens the two horses and beavers that seem to be at work at the pond fantastic all right penny Seth thank you very much for stopping by to tell us about your you so much I appreciate it I appreciate all the fox fa you're amazing people and thanks for the way you've treated my son and thanks

to all our friends out there that they've been amazing thank you yeah I'm Steve duy I'm Brian kilme and I'm Angley aart and click here to subscribe to the Fox News YouTube page to catch our hottest interviews and most compelling analysis