How the Legacy of Pete Hegseth's Parents Contrasts With His Turbulent Public Life

Most people only know his name because of cable news and politics. He’s loud, opinionated, deeply conservative, and never too far from a headline. Before any of that — before the Fox News segments, the political stunts, and the internet outrage — Pete Hegseth was a kid growing up in Minnesota, raised by two people who lived remarkably different lives than the one he chose for himself.

So, who are Pete Hegseth’s parents? How did their steady, quiet legacy of community leadership and small-town values produce one of the most polarizing figures in conservative politics?

Let’s start with his dad: Brian Hegseth spent more than four decades in public education, including 27 years as the activities director at Centennial High School in Circle Pines, Minn. He wasn’t there for the spotlight — he was there for the students. In an interview with Press Publications, Brian said one of the best parts of the job was “seeing young people grow, learn, and compete.”

Pete’s father’s childhood was also very steady and grounded. Raised in the tiny town of Wanamingo, Minn., Brian was the kind of student who did a little bit of everything — sports, band, and theater. That’s where he met his wife, Penny. He went on to coach basketball at St. Paul Academy and Forest Lake. He led both schools to major wins and earned a master’s degree in athletic administration from the University of St. Thomas. For Brian, it wasn’t about fame or politics. It was about teams, kids, and building something that mattered.

Now, Penny Hegseth wasn’t a public figure — until she suddenly was. In late 2024, her name surfaced in an unexpected way: an old email she’d written back in 2018, during Pete’s very public divorce, was published by The New York Times. And it was brutal.

In that message, Penny told her son, “You are an abuser of women,” and went on to say she had no respect for any man who “lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego.” She even defended Pete’s ex-wife at the time. The fallout? Immediate and intense — especially since Pete was reportedly being considered for a top role in Trump’s administration at the time.

The story, however, didn’t end there. A few days later, Penny publicly expressed regret. She appeared on Fox & Friends to clarify that her words had been written “in haste” during an emotional time. She also claimed she’d apologized to Pete just hours after hitting send. And, to be fair, what parent hasn’t said something sharp in the heat of family drama? The difference here is that this drama played out on a national stage, with political implications.

Despite the waves their son has made, Brian and Penny have mostly kept to the lives they built with their three sons. Nate works with the U.S. Embassy in Chile. Phil is based in Washington with the Hudson Institute. And Pete, of course, landed in the world of media and politics, with all the chaos that comes with it.

When Brian retired in 2019, he didn’t do a book tour or start a podcast. Instead, he said what he was most looking forward to was “being involved with our grandkids.”