Who Is Pete Hegseth Married To? Inside His Marriage to Jennifer

Jennifer Hegseth, wife of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has faced immense backlash from former and current serving officials over her reported influence inside the Pentagon. This includes her participation in meetings and discussions about department communications.

RadarOnline.com can report the concerns described in a recent media report, which claims Jennifer has access to and an informal advisory role in a department overseeing the budget and national security responsibilities.

The Pentagon didn't immediately respond to a request for comment cited in the supplied reporting.

"Jennifer Hegseth is a very heavy hand and one of his closest advisers with access inside the building, which is very unusual for a secretary of war/secretary of defense," one anonymous official told a publication. The report also claimed that Jennifer has been involved in her husband’s decision-making, media preparation and discussions with reporters.

Reports suggestJennifer has helped prepare the Defense Secretary for public appearances, attended meetings involving reporters and interviewed candidates for Defense Department positions.

Her involvement has prompted questions about the boundaries between a cabinet official’s work and a spouse’s informal influence.

She was appointed to chair the president’s Military Spouse Commission, a role separate from her reported activities at the Pentagon. The commission focuses on issues affecting military families.

Her presence has also become part of broader scrutiny of Pete's management. In March 2025, he was reported to have shared information about planned U.S. strikes in Yemen in a Signal group chat that included his wife.

The episode renewed debate about the handling of sensitive government information.

Pete and Jennifer married in August 2019 at Trump National Golf Club in Colts Neck, New Jersey. They met while working at Fox News, where Jennifer was a producer, including on Fox & Friends Weekend and Watters’ World.

The couple share a daughter, Gwendolyn, born in 2017, and have a blended family of seven children. Jennifer has three children from previous relationships, while Pete has three sons from his marriage to Samantha Deering.

He was previously married to Meredith Schwarz from 2004 to 2009 and to Deering from 2010 to 2017. Jennifer was also previously married.

Jennifer’s reported Pentagon involvement has drawn attention alongside her responsibilities as a parent. The supplied reporting says she is a full-time mother and homeschools some of the children.

Reports have also raised the possibility that Pete could consider a 2028 presidential campaign. And Jennifer will be supporting his political ambitions. The Defense Sec., however, has denied having such plans.

President Trump has publicly mentioned Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential future contenders.

The debate over Jennifer’s role comes as her husband faces criticism over leaked communications and his policy agenda at the Defense Department.

Officials and commentators have questioned whether her reported access reflects an appropriate advisory relationship or creates concerns about transparency and accountability.

The available accounts rely in part on unnamed officials and media reporting.