Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, has reportedly been fired for two years at a veterans-focused nonprofit organization following allegations of financial mismanagement, alcohol abuse and sexist behavior. He was reportedly forced out of his leadership role.
A lengthy article in The New Yorker based on interviews with whistleblowers reveals that Hegseth was involved in two organizations in which he held leadership positions: the Koch-backed American Veterans Association (CVA) and the billionaire-backed AstroTurf. ” Veterans Federation (VFF).
The whistleblower report alleges that while CEO, Hegseth frequently appeared drunk at CVA’s social events, fostered a hostile work environment for female staff, and diverted non-profit funds for personal use. He accused him of spending money on expenses.
The news follows a 2017 sexual assault allegation, controversy over Hegseth’s criticism of women serving in combat roles in the military, and an email from Hegseth’s mother telling him about the abuse of women: It is something that yourself. ”
Mr Hegseth’s mother Penelope later denied the email, saying it was written in anger and that it would be “disgusting” to publish its contents. President Trump’s transition team said the sexual assault allegations were found to be “false,” a statement contradicted by local police statements.
The Department of Defense is one of the largest employers in the United States, with approximately 3 million military and civilian employees, and had a budget of $820 billion in 2023.
“I’ve seen him drunk many times. I’ve seen him dragged out not just a few times, but many times. It would be horrible to put him in the Pentagon.” a former employee told the magazine.
In one example described in the whistleblower report, Hegseth reportedly took a CVA staffer to a strip club in Louisiana, then got drunk and tried to get on stage with the strippers.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told The New Yorker: structure. “Mr. Hegseth will need Senate confirmation to take up a cabinet-level post.
Former VFF employees told the magazine that Mr. Hegseth spent so much money that it essentially drove the organization into bankruptcy. The findings of a forensic accountant hired by the organization’s donors were “horrifying” and one former staff member described those involved as “could politely be called trysts”.
Eventually, VFF merged with another nonprofit organization, eliminating Hegseth’s leadership. Hegseth worked for VFF from approximately 2007 to 2012 and CVA from 2014 to 2016.
The allegations arose after President Trump defended Mr. Hegseth following a 2017 investigation into sexual assault allegations by police in Monterey, California, which involved him attending a Republican women’s event. He was later charged with assaulting a woman.
The investigative authorities recommended that the charges be sent to the prosecutor’s office for consideration. To avoid the threat of a lawsuit, Hegseth secretly paid a settlement to the woman allegedly involved in the incident in 2023.
At the time, a spokesperson for the Trump transition team said: “The report confirms what Mr. Hegseth’s lawyers have said all along. The incident was thoroughly investigated and no charges were filed because police determined the allegations were false. It was not done.”
