Pete Hegseth’s drinking was such a problem that it worried many of his colleagues at Fox News, according to a report published on Tuesday by NBC News.
The claim is based on communication with 10 employees who worked alongside President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense and discussed instances in which they suspected him of being under the influence of alcohol. However, two of Hegseth’s colleagues at Fox News came to Hegseth’s defense and denounced the report. They took to X on Tuesday to say it was untrue.
Will Cain and Rachel Campos-Duffy, who co-hosted Fox & Friends Weekend with Hegseth, called the reports bogus.
“Bulls***,” Cain posted on X, above a link for the article. “100 percent bulls***. Actually … horses***.”
Cain posted again several minutes later, adding to his rebuke of the NBC News report by vouching for Hegseth and telling the network to use his name as a source to debunk the claim.
“Your story is horses*** @NBCNews,” Cain posted on X. “Put my name on it. On the record. It’ll be your only on the record source. Signed, The guy who sat next to him for 8 hours every week for five years starting at 6am.”
Campos-Duffy followed Cain with a post of her own later Tuesday night.
“The losers at @NBCNews never reached out to me either,” Campos-Duffy posted. “@willcain is right — your story IS horses***. You now have 2 people who sat next to him 8+ hours a week on the record. Will you retract or correct your story?”
According to the report, two people said they “smelled alcohol on him before he went on air,” and on several other occasions, Hegseth mentioned he was “hungover” as he was preparing to film his show. One of the sources interviewed by NBC News claimed to have “smelled alcohol on him as recently as last month” and heard Hegseth mention he was hungover before filming an episode “this fall.”
“Everyone would be talking about it behind the scenes before he went on the air,” the source said.
Others took to X to defend Hegseth from the claims in the report.
Breanna Morello, a former producer for Fox News, denied the claim, stating she “never heard this” during her time with the news network.
“As a former Fox producer, I’ve never heard this in my life,” Morello posted. “Everyone spoke highly of him and still does til this day. I noticed the employees are anonymous.”
Kyle Becker, a former employee of Fox News, also challenged the accusation that Hegseth was regularly suspected of being under the influence of alcohol.
“I sae [sic] @PeteHegseth numerous times while working at Fox News,” Becker posted. “Never got the impression he was ever drunk. No bloodshot eyes. No slurred speech. No disheveled appearance. No wobbly gait. Nothing. I’m also calling bulls***.”
Podcast host Dan Bongino also rejected the report.
“Worked with Pete for years,” Bongino posted. “This is absolute BULLS***.”
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The report featured three current Fox News employees and seven former ones. All made their accusations anonymously because they were concerned about retaliation, according to NBC News.
Hegseth was the weekend co-host of Fox & Friends from 2017 until Trump nominated him for secretary of defense.
