Samantha Deering Was Pete Hegseth's Wife – a Glimpse Inside Their Marriage

The former television presenter's love life has often made headlines due to his extramarital affairs. Even his own mother criticized him for how he treated the women in his life.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is currently married to his third wife, Jennifer Rauchet. Before they began their relationship, he had already been married twice.

Hegseth's second wife was Samantha Deering. Their marriage attracted public attention after allegations about his conduct surfaced. While Hegseth denied the accusations, Deering declined to comment on the nature of their relationship.

Samantha Deering and Pete Hegseth's Relationship Timeline

Samantha Deering and Pete Hegseth began dating while he was in the process of divorcing his first wife, Meredith Schwarz, to whom he was married from 2004 to 2009.

Deering met Hegseth while they were working at Vets for Freedom in Washington, D.C. The couple, who share three children, married in June 2010.

That same year, Hegseth reportedly admitted in an essay that he had fathered a child "out of wedlock" before marrying Deering. It would not be the last time he was unfaithful.

In August 2017, while still married to Deering, Hegseth fathered another child with "Fox News" producer Jennifer Rauchet. He later married Rauchet in 2019.

Deering filed for divorce from Hegseth in 2017, ending their seven-year marriage. A former "Fox News" colleague of Hegseth's stated:

"He had a kind of what-happens-in-Vegas-stays-in-Vegas kind of attitude, while his wife and kids were in Minnesota. [...] He was very handsy with women, too."

Hegseth's Mother's Harsh Criticism

During the divorce, Hegseth's mother, Penelope Hegseth, wrote a leaked email in April 2018, criticizing her son for how he treated the women in his life.

She reportedly expressed that she had tried to remain silent about her son's character and conduct, but after hearing how he had treated Deering, she felt compelled to speak up. As both a woman and his mother, she believed it was necessary to voice her concerns. The family matriarch continued:

"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.

She acknowledged that her son had long exhibited the very behavior she criticized — demeaning, dishonest, and unfaithful conduct toward women — and admitted that, as his mother, it deeply saddened and embarrassed her to confront this painful truth.

Hegseth's mother also mentioned that she was not perfect herself but believed her son needed to be held accountable. She described Deering as a good parent and person, someone who did not deserve to be mistreated — nor did Schwarz.

Allegations of Abuse and Public Scrutiny

Years later, Hegseth and Deering's relationship resurfaced in the media when he was considered for Secretary of Defense. Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee received a sworn affidavit detailing abuse allegations involving Deering.

While still married, Deering reportedly had an "escape plan" involving a "safe word" she could text to family and friends to summon help without alerting Hegseth. She allegedly used this plan once. Reports also stated she hid in her closet out of fear.

When questioned about these claims, Deering reportedly responded via email, saying, "First and foremost, I have not and will not comment on my marriage to Pete Hegseth." She clarified that the reports of abuse were inaccurate:

"There was no physical abuse in my marriage."

Her ex-husband's attorney, Tim Parlatore, also refuted the allegations:

"Sam has never alleged that there was any abuse, she signed court documents acknowledging that there was no abuse and recently reaffirmed the same during her FBI interview."

According to reports, both Deering and Hegseth signed a court document in 2021 confirming that neither was a victim of abuse during their marriage.

Though their marriage ended years ago, public scrutiny over Deering and Hegseth's relationship persists. Despite media speculation and family criticism, Deering has consistently refrained from sharing personal details.

Court documents and statements from both parties deny claims of physical abuse. Their story remains a complex chapter in Hegseth's controversial personal life.