Brian Kilmeade Calls Out the ‘Volume of Personal Attacks’ on ‘Our Buddy Pete Hegseth’

The challenging position that Fox News hosts find themselves in covering many embarrassing allegations against their former colleague Pete Hegseth was on full display Tuesday morning.

Since the former Fox & Friends Weekend co-host was nominated as Secretary of Defense by President-elect Donald Trump, a series of troubling reports have surfaced, including details of extramarital affairs, an allegation and criminal investigation into a sexual assault, a private email from his mother chastising his character and treatment of women that was published by the New York Times, and a daming New Yorker piece that paints Hegseth in a less than flattering light.

Fox News news shows have obliquely covered the personal conduct controversies surrounding Hegseth as he tries to convince Senators to vote for his confirmation. Two weeks ago, Mediaite’s David Gilmour thoughtfully explored the challenges and limitations a top-rated news outlet has not yet overcome in covering the story. CNN’s Brian Stelter wrote a similar critique for the Reliable Sources newsletter that echoed much of the same criticism, which has only become more significant in scale with the latest reports.

Fox News opinion hosts have primarily ignored the entirety of Hegseth’s controversial nomination. However, Kilmeade mentioned it Tuesday morning while interviewing Trump’s spokesman, Jason Miller, during the 7 AM hour of Fox & Friends.

“We saw a lot of people on Capitol Hill, little by little; I know Pam Bondi was up there yesterday, and Pete Hegseth was up there yesterday,” Kilmeade opened.
“I think the volume of some of the personal attacks on some of your nominees is stunning, including our buddy Pete Hegseth, who wrote a book about the Pentagon and served 20 years in the military. He’s been decorated and chose the infantry after an Ivy League education. You’ve seen what he’s able to accomplish for veterans.”

Fox News viewers were likely left confused by the mention of “personal attacks” without any specifics being included in this show or any other that’s been on Fox News.  “But does the volume of the attacks surprise you? And does it make the president what does it make the president waver or wonder?” Kilmeade asked of Miller, who flatly said “no” before standing behind Hegseth’s nomination:

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. You look also see what the Tulsi Gabbard pick. You look at the mentality that President Trump is building in saying the U.S. should not be the world police. We’re going to bring peace. We’re going to bring stability. But it’s keep in mind, under his first four years, the only time in history we’ve never had a war. That’s what he’s going to bring back in. Pete Hegseth will be an important part of that.

Miller’s support for Trump’s nominee is predictable, and it will likely continue until Hegseth’s nomination becomes untenable. If one thing is sure, more potentially embarrassing reports about Hegseth’s private life will emerge.

Kilmeade and Hegseth were colleagues at Fox News for more than a decade. And in that light, it’s hardly surprising to hear Kilmeade refer to Hegseth as a “buddy.” That said, there has been no credible challenge to any of the damning information presented by The New York Times and The New Yorker — information which the Fox News audience has heard nothing about, particularly during the highly-rated opinion shows. To write those reports off merely as “attacks” does not do justice to those outlets’ credible reporting.

Watch above via Fox News.