Pete Hegseth is no stranger to life in the public eye, but since his nomination as U.S. Secretary of Defense, he has faced criticism over his past. In late 2024, The New York Times published an old email from Hegseth’s mother, Penelope Hegseth, in which she accused her son of disrespecting women. While she apologized and defended him afterward, the public grew curious about the former Fox News co-anchor’s personal life — including whether he’s married and if he has children.
In the 2018 email from Hegseth’s mother, she wrote, “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 your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth.”
The New York Times reported that the email was referring to his second divorce. In response to the report, Donald Trump‘s communications director, Steven Cheung, called the publication “despicable” for “using an out-of-context snippet of an illegally-obtained private email exchange between a mother and her son that does not accurately reflect the entirety of the conversation.”
Cheung added, “Mrs. Hegseth expressed regret for her emotional message and apologized.”
Hegseth was confirmed to the US Secretary of Defense position in January 2025, but his personal life continues to attract attention. So, is he married now? Learn all about his current wife and his ex-wives below.
It’s being reported that Pete Hegseth will be confirmed as Secretary of Defense today. pic.twitter.com/3aAOqNhubC
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) January 24, 2025
Is Pete Hegseth Married?
Yes, Hegseth is married to his current wife, TV producer Jennifer Rauchet. The two met while Hegseth worked on Fox & Friends. According to the U.S. Sun, Rauchet was married twice before she wed Hegseth.
While he was still legally married to his second wife, Rauchet gave birth to her and Hegseth’s first child in August 2017.
Pete Hegseth’s First Wife
Hegseth married his first wife, Meredith Schwarz, in 2004. Schwarz was Hegseth’s high school girlfriend from Minnesota. They divorced in 2009 because Hegseth admitted to having multiple affairs, according to The New Yorker.
Pete Hegseth’s Second Wife
Hegseth married his second wife, Samantha Deering, in 2010. They split about seven years later after Hegseth and his third wife, Rauchet, welcomed their first child together in 2017.
Does Pete Hegseth Have Children?
Yes, Hegseth is a father to four biological children and three stepchildren. He shares a daughter with Rauchet and three other kids with his ex-wife Deering. Rauchet is a mother to three children.
Rauchet has shared photos of her and Hegseth’s blended family to her Instagram account.