A new report on Tuesday outlined further instances of Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, alleged alcohol abuse.
Several of Hegseth’s former Fox News colleagues told The New York Times, that they were concerned about his drinking.
At a 2016 Fox & Friends Christmas party, Hegseth reportedly caused a disturbance that led to an internal investigation by the network’s human resources department.
A year later, at the wedding of a Fox News producer, Hegseth became so drunk that he “struggled to stand upright in a men’s bathroom,” sources told The Times. Friends had to arrange for a drive to pick him up to ensure he made it to the studio by 6 a.m. the following morning.
Timothy Parlatore, Hegseth’s lawyer, denied the allegations, telling the Times that “neither of these allegations are true.”
The report comes after NBC News reported Tuesday that some of Hegseth’s colleagues at Fox News were concerned about his drinking habits. Former staffers said they smelled alcohol on Hegseth “on more than a dozen occasions” during his time as a co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend” including moments before he went on air.
In a sympathetic interview with Megyn Kelly on Wednesday, Hegseth insisted that he doesn’t have a drinking problem.
“I never had a drinking problem,” he said. “No one’s ever approached me and said, you should really look at getting help for a drink. Never. I’ve never sought counseling, never sought help. I respect and appreciate people who who do.”
“What do guys do when they come back from war? Oftentimes have some beers,” he continued. “You know, how do you deal with the demons you see on the battlefield? Sometimes it’s with a bottle.”
Later in the interview Hegseth pledged not to drink if he is confirmed by the Senate to lead the Pentagon.
