Washington Senators from both parties posed fresh inquiries on Wednesday regarding the FBI background check that was sent to two influential lawmakers prior to Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing. The senators pointed to allegations that were not revealed by the Trump transition team.
In a sworn declaration, Danielle Hegseth, Pete Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, claimed that Pete made his ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, fear for her safety during their marriage. Today’s inquiries follow her statement. The top Democrat on the committee, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., filed a request for information, to which the affidavit was submitted.
In the affidavit, which NBC News was the first to reveal, Danielle Hegseth stated that she had given the FBI the material in the affidavit over two discussions since December, including one on Saturday. The Senate Armed Services Committee leadership, which conducted the confirmation hearing, was not informed by the Trump camp of the facts she shared in the initial conversation. Following the hearing, the second conversation took place.
Samantha Hegseth said, “There was no physical abuse in my marriage,” to an earlier NBC News request for comment. This is the only other thing I will say to you; I have already informed you that I will not be discussing my marriage to Pete. Please abide by this decision.
Among the accusations are that Samantha once hid from Hegseth in a closet, that she created escape plans that would be activated by a code word in case she felt the need to leave Hegseth, and that she really carried out the escape plans.
Two persons with knowledge of the process said that more than 20 senators, including some Republicans, have now seen an unredacted version of the affidavit. All senators now have access to a copy of the unredacted affidavit. Two individuals who have read Danielle Hegseth’s unredacted affidavit and told NBC News about it claim that it includes an allegation that hasn’t been reported before.
Samantha once told me that Hegseth had unconsentedly gripped her groin at their house, as I reported to the FBI. In the affidavit, Danielle Hegseth states, “Sometime between 2014 and 2016, Samantha told me about this.” I trust Samantha since her account aligns with my own observations of Hegseth’s unpredictable and violent conduct over a long period of time.
In the affidavit, Danielle Hegseth further states that I did not personally witness Hegseth’s physical or sexual abuse and that this took place in the privacy of [Samantha and Pete Hegseth’s] house.
A request for comment on this hitherto unreported accusation was not answered by Samantha Hegseth’s attorney.
NBC is well aware that Samantha, the real participant, has refuted these false charges, but NBC continues to carelessly broadcast false allegations by an uninvolved third party as truth, according to an email sent by Tim Parlatore, Pete Hegseth’s attorney, in response to a request for comment on the allegation.
Senators’ concerns
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said on Wednesday that she was worried about the FBI’s insufficient background investigation on Pete Hegseth, which was provided by the Trump transition.
The senator had not seen the unredacted copy of the document that contained the hitherto unknown claim, Collins’ staff said NBC News.
I have not seen the FBI background check since I am not a member of the [Armed Services Committee], but I have heard from others that it is concerning that important material has been left out, Collins said. Therefore, you want to get as full a picture as possible when choosing a nominee.
When the unredacted affidavit was first made available to senators on Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said on Wednesday that he had not previously realized that the Trump transition, not the FBI, determines what information from a nominee’s background check is shown to the top two senators on the committee that is considering the nomination. The entity requesting a background check for a nominee determines the extent and timeliness of the check during any transition or administration, not the FBI.
Tillis stated, “I’m investigating it to see if that’s how it’s done procedurally.” Then attempting to simply determine if that is an aberration. Or has it always been that way between Republicans and Democrats? I’m not sure.
Since he spoke with other witnesses who had their own fascinating stories of their interactions with Pete Hegseth, Tillis disclosed that he aimed to support Danielle Hegseth’s claims.
After voting with every other Republican senator to proceed with Hegseth’s nomination on Tuesday, he also implied that he was still unsure about the candidate.
Anything up until the final vote interests me. I voted in favor of moving forward last night, but I have made it very plain to the administration and my colleagues that I respect all of this material, including the potential witnesses. “I just need to corroborate and confirm facts,” he stated.
The FBI does not comment on individual background checks, an FBI spokesperson told NBC News on Wednesday.
The FBI said in a statement that the background check is being finished as quickly as possible and that it focuses on conduct and character. The FBI does not decide or express an opinion regarding the findings of the background investigation; rather, it is an investigative service provider. The FBI’s only responsibility is to gather facts. After the inquiry is finished, the report is forwarded to either the Office of the President-Elect or the Office of White House Counsel for use as appropriate.
When questioned about the accusations in the letter, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a member of the Armed Services Committee who declared she would back Hegseth’s nomination just hours after his confirmation hearing last Tuesday, told NBC News on Wednesday that the FBI had done its job.
The accusations have been refuted by the ex-wife. Ernst stated, “I think we need to take her at her word.”
In 2021, Samantha and Pete Hegseth, who are parents to three children together, signed a court statement stating that neither of them had ever reported experiencing domestic abuse.
Parlatore, Hegseth’s lawyer, claimed to have been in communication with Samantha Hegseth at the time she gave NBC News a statement on Tuesday afternoon, shortly before the network published an article exposing the affidavit’s existence.
“We have just communicated with Pete’s ex-wife… she will be emailing you shortly, CC ing Pete, and will make clear that there was never any abuse,” Parlatore wrote in an email in response to NBC News’ request for comment and further questions Tuesday afternoon.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, received a letter from Parlatore on Wednesday requesting that Wicker disregard Danielle Hegseth’s sworn declaration and instead rely on the FBI’s findings and Minnesota court records in order to proceed with Hegseth’s confirmation. Punchbowl News was the first to report on the letter.
Later in the day, Wicker told reporters that the affidavit basically doesn’t change much in his opinion.
“I believe the nomination will proceed,” he continued. Do you want to know if I’m inclined to change my vote from yes to no? My response is still a resounding yes.
Wicker was given a third briefing on the FBI’s investigation of Hegseth’s background on Wednesday night, along with leading Democrat on the Armed Services Committee Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.
One person with direct information claims that a senior White House official briefed Wicker and Reed separately. According to the same source, the White House official revealed that the FBI’s background investigation of Pete Hegseth is over during at least one of the briefings.
During a second briefing the two senators had received, the Trump transition team told Wicker and Reed that Samantha Hegseth spoke with the FBI regarding Pete Hegseth and gave them a prepared statement that said he has had and continues to have a problem with alcohol abuse.
Parlatore had already been contacted by NBC News for comment regarding Samantha Hegseth’s accusation. Parlatore stated in an email that these assertions are blatantly untrue to any impartial observer.
CNN published the allegation and the second briefing Wednesday evening. In a statement released after, Wicker said, “Recent reports regarding a confidential briefing on the FBI background investigation of Pete Hegseth that I received last week are starkly and factually inaccurate.
Wicker s office has not responded to repeated requests for comment from NBC News.
In a statement provided to NBC after the third briefing, Reed said, As a rule, I do not publicly discuss the contents of an FBI background investigation. However, two things are true in this case: one, during my time in the Senate, the FBI has never before needed to deliver multiple briefings on a Defense Secretary nominee, and, two, the recent reports about the contents of the background briefings on Mr. Hegseth are true and accurate.
A final vote on Hegseth s nomination could take place by the weekend. A simple majority, or 51 out of 100, is required for confirmation in the Senate, where Republicans have a four-vote margin.
On Thursday, the Senate voted 51-49 to advance the nomination to a final vote. Two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, joined all 47 Democrats in voting no.