Hegseth’s Ex-Sister-In-Law Details Claims of Abuse, Drunkenness

Pete Hegseth, US secretary of defense nominee, center, arrives to the 60th presidential inauguration in the rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.Photographer: Kenny Holston/The New York Times/Bloomberg

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By Billy House

January 21, 2025 at 6:14 PM EST

Updated on

January 21, 2025 at 7:25 PM EST

Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s former sister-in-law alleged he was emotionally abusive to his ex-wife, one time causing her to hide in a closet for her safety, and had a history of drunken and aggressive behavior, according to a sworn affidavit submitted at the request of a top Democrat.

The allegations against President Donald Trump’s nominee included that his former wife, Samantha Hegseth, came up with a safe word for when she “needed to get away from Hegseth” and once used it in 2015 or 2016, Danielle Hegseth said in the affidavit.