NYT Reporter Smears Pete Hegseth with 6-Year-Old Email His Mother Says She Didn’t Mean, Regrets Sending
SUMMARY
A recent New York Times article by Sharon LaFraniere has drawn criticism for publishing a private, six-year-old email from Pete Hegseth’s mother amid his nomination as Pentagon Chief under President-elect Donald Trump. The email, sent during Hegseth’s divorce in 2018, criticized his treatment of his ex-wife but was followed by an immediate apology from his mother, who later called the email untrue and expressed regret for sending it. Hegseth’s family and supporters denounced the story as an unfair smear tactic aimed at derailing his nomination. Critics, including combat veteran Sean Parnell and former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, condemned the Times for exploiting a family’s private struggles, labeling the piece as unethical and damaging, particularly to Hegseth’s children. This story is part of a broader coordinated smear campaign against Hegseth, including unfounded claims of white supremacist tattoos and a dismissed 2017 rape accusation.
