Pete Hegseth, President Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, had a problem with alcohol abuse and his behavior caused his second wife, Samantha, to fear for her safety, his former sister-in-law told Senate lawmakers in a sworn affidavit.
NPR received the affidavit from multiple sources familiar with the matter who were not able to share the affidavit publicly.
Danielle Hegseth, Pete Hegseth's former sister-in-law, submitted the affidavit in response to a letter from Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., who sought her "personal knowledge about Mr. Hegseth's fitness to occupy this important position." In the sworn affidavit, Danielle Hegseth says it is her "personal opinion that Hegseth is unfit for the position of secretary of defense."
In an email to NBC News, which first reported the story, Samantha Hegseth said: "First and foremost, I have not and will not comment on my marriage to Pete Hegseth. I do not have representatives speaking on my behalf, nor have I ever asked anyone to share or speak about the details of my marriage on my behalf, whether it be a reporter, a committee member, a transition team member, etc."
A lawyer for Pete Hegseth dismissed the allegations to NBC.
"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," the attorney, Tim Parlatore, told NBC.
NPR has sought comment from Hegseth.
Multiple Republican Senators, including the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Roger Wicker, told NPR that Mr. Hegseth's ex-wife denied allegations of abuse.
Nonetheless, the panel's top Democrat said the affidavit should give the Senate pause.
"As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth's history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation," Reed, the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. "I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this sworn affidavit confirms that fact."
Several Republican Senators dismissed the allegations Tuesday night, pointing out that the on the record statement comes after the public hearing into Hegseth's nomination and suggest that it is part of political campaign on the eve of the Senate voting to confirm Hegseth. Many others said they had not seen the document.
Wicker said he expects Hegseth's nomination will proceed.
"I think she has an axe to grind," Wicker said when asked about Danielle Hegseth's decision to submit the affidavit.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo, one of the top GOP leaders in the Senate said he does not believe Hegseth's prospects have changed.
"Looks like a desperate ploy by Democrats who are being driven by the far left, because they know we have the votes to confirm him," Barrasso said in the Capitol.
Hegseth's nomination was voted out of committee Monday in a 14-13 party-line vote. The full Senate voted to begin consideration of his nomination Tuesday after the affidavit became public.
In the affidavit, Danielle Hegseth states that she personally witnessed Hegseth intoxicated and that he "drunkenly yelled in my face" in 2009.
She also says that her former sister-in-law "feared for her personal safety" during her marriage, and that she had a plan about "texting me a safe word/code word" that meant she wanted someone to fly to Minnesota to help her.
In the document, she explains that she has decided to come forward "because I am deeply concerned by what Hegseth's confirmation would mean for our military and our country and because I have been assured that making this public statement will ensure that certain Senators who are still on the fence will vote against Hegseth's nomination."
The development fits into a broader litany of allegations that have bedeviled Hegseth since Trump nominated him to be defense secretary. Democrats have brought up concerns about allegations of alcohol abuse. Former staffers at Concerned Veterans for America, which Hegseth led, have made allegations about him drinking on the job, fiscal mismanagement and inappropriate conduct with staff. Former colleagues at Fox News have also alleged Hegseth acted inappropriately when drinking. Hegseth has repeatedly referred to allegations against him — including sexual assault — as part of a "coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media."
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