Senators involved in the confirmation process for Pete Hegseth as defense secretary received a significant affidavit on Tuesday from his former sister-in-law. The document alleges abusive behavior toward Hegseth’s second wife, raising concerns about her safety. Pete Hegseth has firmly rejected these claims.

Danielle Hegseth, who was previously married to the nominee’s brother, stated in the affidavit that she perceives Pete Hegseth as unsuitable for overseeing the Defense Department due to what she has observed and heard. Although she disclosed her concerns to the FBI last December, she expressed apprehension that this information was not relayed to Congress during the deliberation of Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon.

Within the affidavit, Danielle detailed incidents of alleged alcohol abuse and domestic issues involving Hegseth’s second wife, Samantha. She mentioned that Samantha had a safe word to indicate when she felt unsafe at home. It was noted that Samantha communicated this word to Danielle around 2015 or 2016, prompting Danielle to seek help from another individual.

“I decided to come forward openly, at great personal cost, because I am genuinely troubled by what Hegseth’s confirmation could signify for our military and our nation,” Danielle Hegseth said.

Tim Parlatore, Hegseth’s attorney, strongly refuted the accusations, labeling them as outdated claims from a former family member harboring grievances against the Hegseth family. He emphasized that Samantha has never claimed abuse occurred, referring to court documents signed by her that acknowledged no such incidents and reiterated this during her FBI interview