Hegseth’s Father Mocks Michigan Senate Candidate Over Sports Remarks
Brian Hegseth used Halloween posts on X to needle Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee challenging Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race. Hegseth shared a photo of himself and his wife beside their son, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a basketball uniform, calling him a “benchwarming son” and tagging El-Sayed.
El-Sayed had discussed sports during a conversation with comic Hasan Minhaj that came out on October 28, mocking Pete Hegseth’s high school athletic record. Brian Hegseth had also directed a personal insult at the candidate, writing that he had “little man syndrome.” In a later post, he shared a picture of his son’s commemorative display at the Forest Lake Rangers’ Hall of Fame.
The family photo prompted some critics to recall an email Pete Hegseth’s mother, Penelope, sent him in 2018 during his second divorce. In the email, published in excerpts in 2024, she accused him of abusing and mistreating women. She later said she had written in anger, apologized, and that her characterization was not true.
Pete Hegseth has denied wrongdoing in connection with a woman’s allegation of sexual assault stemming from a 2017 encounter, which he described as consensual. Prosecutors in Monterey County declined to file charges. Some conservative commentators praised Brian Hegseth’s post.
Hegseth Family’s Sports Taunts Sidestep Questions About Defense Secretary
The Hegseth family turned a Michigan Senate campaign spat into a personal spectacle on October 31, when Brian Hegseth posted a photo mocking Democrat Abdul El-Sayed’s remarks about his son’s high school sports career. The posts traded on the idea of Pete Hegseth as a benchwarmer, while avoiding the questions about the Defense Secretary that critics raised in response.
El-Sayed had made the sports comments in an interview released October 28. Brian Hegseth answered with a photo of Pete in a basketball uniform, then displayed his son’s hall-of-fame plaque. He had also called El-Sayed a man with “little man syndrome.”
Critics pointed to a 2018 email from Pete Hegseth’s mother, Penelope, accusing him of mistreating women. She later said she wrote it in anger, apologized and rejected the characterization. Pete Hegseth has also denied wrongdoing over a woman’s allegation concerning a 2017 encounter; prosecutors declined charges.
The contrast is hard to miss: a family eager to defend its son’s high school record is making a political attack that does nothing to answer the scrutiny surrounding his conduct. The posts drew praise from some conservative commentators, but the underlying questions remain central to how the public judges a powerful official.
El-Sayed’s Sports Jabs Draw a Sharp Response From Hegseth’s Father
Brian Hegseth pushed back after Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed took a swipe at his son’s high school sports career, turning a campaign jab into a family defense. On October 31, he posted a photo of Pete Hegseth in a basketball uniform and called him a “benchwarming son,” then followed up with an image of his son’s hall-of-fame plaque.
El-Sayed had mocked the Defense Secretary’s athletic record in an interview released October 28. Brian Hegseth also directed a personal insult at the Senate nominee, accusing him of “little man syndrome.” The exchange shows how El-Sayed’s campaign has made Pete Hegseth’s high school sports history a target, and how his family has responded in kind.
Critics tried to redirect attention to an email Pete Hegseth’s mother sent in 2018, when she accused him of mistreating women. She later said she wrote in anger, apologized and that the accusation did not reflect the truth. Pete Hegseth denies wrongdoing over a separate allegation stemming from a 2017 encounter, and Monterey County prosecutors declined to file charges.
Some conservative commentators praised Brian Hegseth’s response. The episode remains a personal exchange rather than a debate over policy, with each side using the family and sports story to score a political point.
Reported by The Washington Examiner, Twitchy, Raw Story.
