Cabot Phillips

The exact motive for the crime has not yet been released.

The exact motive for the crime has not yet been released.

Yeah, there have really been two parts to the anti-Hegseth campaign. First, it started with his credentials. Now, historically, defense secretaries have almost always been a general or other high-ranking Pentagon official. Hegseth is not. Almost immediately, critics of the pic began referring to him simply as a Fox News host, trying to paint him as wholly unqualified for the job.

Yeah, there have really been two parts to the anti-Hegseth campaign. First, it started with his credentials. Now, historically, defense secretaries have almost always been a general or other high-ranking Pentagon official. Hegseth is not. Almost immediately, critics of the pic began referring to him simply as a Fox News host, trying to paint him as wholly unqualified for the job.

And while Hegseth was indeed a host on Fox, supporters pointed out that he also graduated from Princeton, served 20-plus years in the military. deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was awarded numerous medals, and then ran a large nonprofit advocating for veterans. Now, once folks became more aware of those credentials, the attacks shifted to focus more on his personal life.

And while Hegseth was indeed a host on Fox, supporters pointed out that he also graduated from Princeton, served 20-plus years in the military. deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was awarded numerous medals, and then ran a large nonprofit advocating for veterans. Now, once folks became more aware of those credentials, the attacks shifted to focus more on his personal life.

Well, most notably, a woman claimed that Hegseth sexually assaulted her back in 2017 at a Republican conference. Hegseth says the incident was consensual and a police investigation resulted in no charges being filed. More recently, though, legacy media outlets have published a number of stories citing anonymous former coworkers who accused him of sexual misconduct.

Well, most notably, a woman claimed that Hegseth sexually assaulted her back in 2017 at a Republican conference. Hegseth says the incident was consensual and a police investigation resulted in no charges being filed. More recently, though, legacy media outlets have published a number of stories citing anonymous former coworkers who accused him of sexual misconduct.

Others accused him of coming to work drunk. Though it's worth noting a dozen or so co-workers of Hegseth, including a few of his co-hosts at Fox, refuted those anonymous allegations on the record, calling them totally fabricated. Lisa Booth, for example, who co-hosted with Hegseth on Fox, said, quote, Not once did this happen. Not once have I heard this from others.

Others accused him of coming to work drunk. Though it's worth noting a dozen or so co-workers of Hegseth, including a few of his co-hosts at Fox, refuted those anonymous allegations on the record, calling them totally fabricated. Lisa Booth, for example, who co-hosted with Hegseth on Fox, said, quote, Not once did this happen. Not once have I heard this from others.

This is such a disgusting and false smear.

This is such a disgusting and false smear.

Right.

Right.

Right. The focus on his personal life really came to a fever pitch last week when the New York Times published a private email Hegseth's mother had sent him back in 2018 amidst a messy divorce with his then wife. She accused him of, quote, dishonesty, sleeping around, betrayal, debasing, and belittling, among other things.

Right. The focus on his personal life really came to a fever pitch last week when the New York Times published a private email Hegseth's mother had sent him back in 2018 amidst a messy divorce with his then wife. She accused him of, quote, dishonesty, sleeping around, betrayal, debasing, and belittling, among other things.

However, in an interview with Fox yesterday morning, she expressed regret for that email, saying she sent a follow-up a few hours later apologizing and assuring the country that her son is the man for the job.

However, in an interview with Fox yesterday morning, she expressed regret for that email, saying she sent a follow-up a few hours later apologizing and assuring the country that her son is the man for the job.

Hexet's mother went on to say that she's been personally calling senators, telling her side of the story and encouraging them to support her son's nomination for defense secretary.

Hexet's mother went on to say that she's been personally calling senators, telling her side of the story and encouraging them to support her son's nomination for defense secretary.