NBC News has confirmed my suspicions that Pete Hegseth’s drunkenness was well known at Fox. The network pretended he’s a great choice to head the Pentagon anyway.

Two days ago, I wrote that the bombshell revelations about Pete Hegseth’s drunkenness and “handsy” behavior with women also raised questions about his 10-year gig at Fox News. “After seven years as a host, preceded by three years as a contributor, Fox News couldn’t not know what kind of abusive and unscrupulous person they employed,” I wrote.

Thanks to NBC News’ reporting, it’s clear that Hegseth’s drunkenness and unprofessional conduct was no secret at Fox. NBC reporters spoke to three current and seven former Fox News employees. "Everyone would be talking about it behind the scenes before he went on the air,” one former Fox employee told NBC.

“Three current employees said his drinking remained a concern up until Trump announced him as his choice to run the Pentagon, at which point Hegseth left Fox,” NBC also reported.

One current and two former Fox employees talked about having to call Hegseth to make sure he didn’t oversleep because they knew he’d have been out partying the night before his Fox & Friends weekend morning show cohost gig.

And this:

“Hegseth sometimes arrived with only 20 minutes or less before the show began, according to those three sources, stressing out his colleagues. They said Hegseth’s makeup would sometimes need to be done while he was on set because his late arrival left his colleagues with so little time. The sources could not say whether his lateness was caused solely by drinking. 

This is obviously not the kind of behavior appropriate for the head of the world’s most powerful military – and that’s not counting Hegseth’s well-documented record of mismanaging the small non-profits that are his only management experience. “A secretary of defense is generally working at all hours and might need to respond to a crisis that arises suddenly at night or on a weekend,” NBC pointed out. It’s crucial that he or she be able to make sober decisions at any and all times.

Yet, Brian Kilmeade deceitfully presented his former colleague as a great choice to run the Pentagon. Even worse, Kilmeade credulously allowed Trump adviser Jason Miller to praise Hegseth even further.

John Amato, at Crooks and Liars (where I am a contributor), caught the remarks yesterday:

KILMEADE: Some of the personal attacks on some of the nominees are stunning including our buddy Pete Hegseth. Who wrote a book about the Pentagon, served 20 years in the military, has been decorated, chose the infantry after Ivy League education. You've seen what he's able to accomplish for veterans.

But does the volume of the attack surprise you and does it make the president what does it make the president waver or or wonder?

MILLER: No there's a reason why President Trump picked Pete Hegseth to lead the DoD. Two time Bronze Star recipient = someone who served in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As you said, Ivy League pedigree. You want someone there leading the DoD who has served in combat who knows what it's like to be shot at because a big part of the reason why President Trump won he said he's going to stop these endless wars.

Amato noted that Kilmeade's remarks also negated Hegseth's own mother's attacks on his behavior. This morning, Kilmeade’s Fox & Friends cohost, Steve Doocy, did his part to throw America under the bus in service to Trump.

Like its favorite felonious pu**y grabber and coup plotter, Fox News likes to pretend it’s a super duper patriot. But the Hegseth debacle reveals clearly how propaganda in pursuit of political power is its only real goal.

You can watch Kilmeade promote Hegseth as a great choice for defense secretary below, from the December 3, 2024 Fox & Friends, via Crooks and Liars. (You can watch the full Fox News video of the discussion here.)

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