Pete Hegseth brought his wife Jennifer to a Texas A&M Corps of Cadets PT session as he launched his "SEND ME TOUR," posting a photo from the visit. The appearance followed reports that aides circulated a derogatory nickname for Jennifer, reportedly likening her to Yoko Ono. The New York Times has described Jennifer as a close and influential adviser to Hegseth, a role publicly defended by Pentagon officials.
Hegseth Brings Wife to Texas A&M After Staff 'Yoko Ono' Nickname Leak — Pentagon Defends Her Role
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a picture of him jogging with wife Jennifer Rauchet. / Pete Hegseth on X
Pete Hegseth brought his wife, Jennifer, to an early-morning physical training session with the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets on Friday as part of the kickoff for his "SEND ME TOUR." The appearance — and a photo he later posted of the couple — came after reports that aides circulated a derogatory nickname for Jennifer Hegseth.
The image was posted a day after Defense Department staffers' nickname for Jennifer got leaked. / Pete Hegseth/Department of Defense
Hegseth, 46, wore a gray shirt reading "This is War" and delivered a forceful address to cadets assembled in a large stadium, rejecting what he described as ideological programming in favor of a narrow focus on warfighting fundamentals.
Jennifer was likened to Yoko Ono, widow of the Beatles star John Lennon. / Bettmann / Bettmann Archive
"A department that's focused on the basics, the warrior ethos. No more ideological garbage anymore, no more DEI garbage and social engineering. That's all done," he said. "We don't do critical race theory. We don't do DEI. We do colorblind, gender neutral, merit-based, merit only. Discipline, accountability, readiness, training, lethality, that's it. If it doesn't contribute to any of those things, we don't want it."
The report that Defense Department staffers circulated a nickname for Jennifer came from the Daily Mail, which said some aides compared her to Yoko Ono, the widow of John Lennon. Such comparisons characterized her as a controlling influence; those claims were described as coming from unnamed insiders.
Hegseth and Jennifer walked hand in hand next to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine in Arlington, Virginia on Friday. / Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
The couple first met while working at Fox News and, according to multiple reports, began an affair in 2016 when Hegseth was married to his second wife, Samantha Deering. Hegseth and Jennifer welcomed a daughter, Gwendolyn, in 2017; they married in 2019. He has three sons from his previous marriage, and Jennifer has three children from a prior relationship.
Jennifer has drawn flak for always hovering around her husband. / Evelyn Hockstein / REUTERS
Reporting in The New York Times has described Jennifer Hegseth as a constant presence in her husband's professional life since he took charge of the Defense Department, saying she has advised him on appearances, sat in on media meetings, interviewed potential staff members, and helped develop department communications.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell defended Jennifer Hegseth in remarks to the Daily Mail: "She is an accomplished leader in her own right and a devoted military spouse. She is a vital asset and a true force multiplier for our mission... The Department not only welcomes her current leadership but actively plans to involve her even more deeply in the future."
Several details in the reporting come from named outlets and anonymous sources; where noted, those claims remain attributed to the original reports. The Pentagon's public statements offer an official counterpoint to the internal criticism reported by the press.
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