Right-wing networks can’t agree on the way to cowl Pete Hegseth’s many scandals | EUROtoday

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With former Fox News host Pete Hegseth’s appointment as protection secretary all of a sudden doubtful amid a bevy of startling tales detailing his alleged sexual misconduct, boorish habits and monetary malfeasance, the right-wing community he referred to as dwelling for practically a decade is doing what it usually does in these cases.

That is, it’s hushing up.

Meanwhile, one other conservative cable channel that has lengthy sought to court docket favor with MAGA by working to the suitable of Fox News is overtly calling on President-elect Donald Trump to ditch Hegseth’s nomination as a result of the ex-Fox star merely “can’t” lead the Pentagon amid the rising scandals.

“This secretary of defense thing is not going to happen. It just can’t, not after what we’re learning about,” Newsmax host Greg Kelly declared on his primetime present Monday night time.

Having already been a controversial choose when Trump nominated him final month, particularly after it was revealed he paid a lady who accused him of sexual assault, Hegseth has all of a sudden discovered his affirmation in critical peril following two new bombshell articles.

On Friday, The New York Times reported that Hegseth’s personal mom had as soon as denounced him for “mistreating women” over time. While the then-Fox & Friends Weekend host was in the course of a divorce from his second spouse after having an affair with a Fox News producer (who would turn out to be his third spouse), Penelope Hegseth emailed her son in 2018 and railed in opposition to his habits.

“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,” she wrote. Mrs. Hegseth informed the Times she regretted sending the e-mail and later apologized to her son.

The New Yorker on Sunday adopted up with an in-depth investigation into Hegseth’s tenure main two veterans’ teams. The story, which included new particulars about Hegseth’s alleged drunken and sexist habits, in addition to claims that he financially mismanaged the 2 organizations he led, was largely sourced to a “whistleblower report” and different accounts submitted by former staff of the veteran advocacy non-profits.

As CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter first reported on Tuesday, although Hegseth’s allies have used different MAGA media shops to mount a protection in opposition to these allegations, Fox News has largely steered away from them. According to transcript searches by way of media monitoring providers TVEyes and Grabien, Fox News has very briefly coated the accusations specified by The New York Times and New Yorker tales this week. While Hegseth’s identify has been talked about sometimes on-air, it has typically been to report that he’s assembly with senators to generate help for his nomination.

Through Tuesday afternoon, the one occasion of the community immediately reporting on-air in regards to the newest allegations occurred on Tuesday’s early-morning program Fox & Friends First.

“The New Yorker reports Pete Hegseth was pushed out of two groups he ran because of mismanagement of funds, sexual impropriety, and intoxicated behavior,” reporter Madeline Rivera mentioned earlier than airing a clip of Hegseth being confronted on Capitol Hill by reporters.

The earlier night, on the community’s flagship “hard news” program Special Reportcorrespondent Chad Pergram mentioned that Hegseth “faces problems about his personal conduct” and that it “could be a problem” for his affirmation. After airing a video of Hegseth being requested if he was “ever drunk while traveling on the job,” Pergram didn’t present any further context in regards to the controversies surrounding his former colleague.

Interviewing Trump spokesperson Jason Miller on Tuesday morning, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade considerably broached the topic of the troubling accusations in opposition to Hegseth — however principally to precise sympathy for his “buddy” whereas framing the claims of sexual misconduct and crude habits as merely “personal attacks.”

“I think the volume of some of the personal attacks on some of your nominees is stunning, including our buddy Pete Hegseth, who wrote a book about the Pentagon and served 20 years in the military. He’s been decorated and chose the infantry after an Ivy League education,” Kilmeade said. He didn’t provide any further context to the controversy surrounding Hegseth.

A Fox News spokesperson didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. However, in response to Stelter, a spokesperson declined to say whether or not the community had editorially determined to not cowl the Hegseth allegations. Additionally, the spokesperson said Fox News was not beforehand made conscious of the emails and experiences cited within the Times and New Yorker.

While, for now, Fox News is basically ignoring the unflattering tales about its one-time star — a tactic it has employed repeatedly prior to now — Newsmax has come out swinging in opposition to Hegseth.

“Life is long, and Pete Hegseth is a talented guy with a lot to offer. But this secretary of defense thing is not going to happen. It just can’t, not after what we’re learning about,” Kelly mentioned on the prime of his present Monday.

After heaping reward on Hegseth for his fight file, Kelly famous that the previous Fox host is simply 44 years outdated and “there is time for Pete to make a big, valuable contribution to this country” sooner or later.

“But now is not the time. I’m sorry,” he added. “The stakes are way too high now. Now, Donald Trump likes Pete Hegseth, respects Pete Hegseth, and that’s amazing. But there are things about Pete Hegseth that he has got to deal with.

After referencing the email from Hegseth’s mom, Kelly noted that the “country needs some time to absorb this” and that Hegseth “can make a contribution” however “not right now.” In a later interview with former Trump administration official Ric Grenell, Kelly criticized Hegseth for not being trustworthy with the incoming president.

“President Trump also probably deserved to know about some of these matters before he put the name forward,” the host mentioned. “And my understanding is that Pete Hegseth had the opportunity… and declined to offer that.”

Kelly, by the way in which, is similar Newsmax host that floated the thought of Matt Gaetz coming to work for his community after the MAGA firebrand withdrew his nomination for lawyer basic amid ongoing sexual misconduct allegations, which included claims that Gaetz paid a minor for intercourse.