The following is the text of the email that Penelope Hegseth sent to her son, Pete Hegseth, on April 30, 2018. One sentence was redacted by The New York Times for privacy reasons.
Son,
I have tried to keep quiet about your character and behavior, but after listening to the way you made Samantha feel today, I cannot stay silent.
And as a woman and your mother I feel I must speak out..
You are an abuser of women
- that is the ugly truth and I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as
have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth.
I am not a saint, far from it.. so don't throw that in my face,. but your abuse over the years to women (dishonesty, Sleeping around, betrayal, debasing, belittling) needs to be called out.
Sam is a good mother and a good person (under the circumstances that you created) and I know deep down you know that. For you to try to label her as
"unstable" for your own advantage is despicable and abusive. Is there any sense of decency left in you? She did not ask for or deserve any of what has come to her by your hand. Neither did Meredith.
hand. Neither did Meredith.
I know you think this is one big competition and that we have taken her side... bunk... we are on the side of good and that is not you. (Go ahead and call me self-righteous, I dont' care)
Don't you dare run to her and cry foul that we shared with us... that's what babies do. It's time for someone (I wish it was a strong man) to stand up to your abusive behavior and call it out, especially against women
We still love you, but we are broken by your behavior and lack of character. I don't want to write emails like this and never thought I would. If it damages our relationship further, then so be it, but at least I have said my piece.
![lack of character. I don't want to write emails like this and never thought I would. If it damages our relationship further, then so be it, but at least I have said my piece.
[Redacted]
And yes, we are praying for you (and you don't deserve to know how we are praying, so skip the snarky reply)
I don't want an answer to this... I don't want to debate with you. You twist and abuse everything I say anyway.
But... On behalf of all the women (and I know it's many) you have abused in some way, I say... get some help and take an honest look at yourself...
Mom](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2darfo36xds4oznvip7x2ux7/bafkreiho2ow7pt34mjhposfemsor6nwnelrfjbdm46vijvwz5b2j6jnrea)
lack of character. I don't want to write emails like this and never thought I would. If it damages our relationship further, then so be it, but at least I have said my piece.
[Redacted]
And yes, we are praying for you (and you don't deserve to know how we are praying, so skip the snarky reply)
I don't want an answer to this... I don't want to debate with you. You twist and abuse everything I say anyway.
But... On behalf of all the women (and I know it's many) you have abused in some way, I say... get some help and take an honest look at yourself...
Mom
Just remembering the letter Pete Hegseth’s mom sent him, calling him an abuser of women and telling him their family is “broken by your behavior and lack of character.”
