Laura Petrillo recalls a day in 2002 at Princeton University when she engaged in a heated argument with Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon. She was hanging posters for the Organization of Women Leaders (OWL), a feminist group on campus, when Hegseth and his friends from The Princeton Tory, the conservative paper, started tearing down her posters and putting up their own. This led to a verbal altercation between them. Reuters spoke to over a dozen former students, faculty, and staff at the university to learn more about Hegseth’s time at Princeton from 1999 to 2003. While Hegseth’s spokesperson did not respond to questions about the incident, the university spokesperson declined to comment on his time at Princeton.
Hegseth’s views on diversity in the U.S. military, particularly regarding women, are expected to be a focus of his confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. Notably, during his time at Princeton, as the publisher of The Tory, he oversaw the publication of controversial articles, including one that depicted a cartoon owl in a gunsight and another that made derogatory remarks about homosexuality.
Some former classmates described Hegseth as friendly and someone who didn’t take himself too seriously, pointing to a paintball duel held on campus as an example. Others, like Brittany Hume Charm, recalled feeling threatened by Hegseth’s actions, such as showing up in his ROTC uniform during a meeting with OWL. Tessa Muir, a former Army captain who served under Hegseth in the ROTC program, had mixed feelings about him, describing him as kind but expressing concern over his recent comments opposing women in combat.
Overall, while some remember Hegseth as a hardworking and caring individual during his college years, his stance on certain issues has generated controversy as he navigates the confirmation process for his new role.
Muir, President of the Princeton office dedicated to combating sexual assault from 2001 to 2004, raised concerns about a 2002 edition of Hegseth’s Tory that criticized a freshman orientation course addressing sexual assault. The course featured a scenario where a student became unconscious due to heavy drinking and was subsequently raped. The Tory article contended that this did not meet the criteria for rape as the victim was unconscious and not under duress during the incident.
Although Bryant does not recollect encountering the article at the time of its publication, she called for Hegseth to issue an apology for what she perceived as insensitivity towards survivors. She questioned Hegseth’s ability to defend and protect individuals, particularly within the realm of defense.
Sexual assault remains a persistent issue within the military. When prompted about sexual assault occurrences on campus during Hegseth’s tenure at Princeton, a university spokesperson directed attention to Department of Education data showing 28 forced sex offenses on Princeton’s campus between 2001 and 2003.
Hegseth arrived at Princeton with a preexisting affinity for the military and conservative values, as shared by his father, Brian Hegseth. Brian highlighted his son’s thoughtful consideration of existing values and his commitment to their preservation rather than conforming to popular opinions.
During his time as a conservative figure on campus, Hegseth sometimes became the subject of jokes. An old jest revolving around Hegseth resurfaced among Princeton alumni after his nomination by Trump to lead the Pentagon in November. The joke, originating from a campus humor magazine during his senior year, depicted a conversation between two students regarding Hegseth’s intentions allegedly to send one of them and her family back to India.
Following his graduation from Princeton in 2003, Hegseth served in various military deployments, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He holds two Bronze Stars and obtained a Master’s degree from Harvard University in 2013.
Hegseth has faced challenges amid media scrutiny concerning his past. Reports emerged in 2021 of an incident where a fellow Army National Guard member labeled him an “insider threat” due to his tattoos. Hegseth claimed this led to his removal from Guard duty in Washington during President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Regarding a 2017 sexual assault allegation that did not result in charges, Hegseth denied any wrongdoing. He also refuted accusations of excessive drinking and financial mismanagement at veterans’ organizations. Hegseth’s mother retracted an email criticizing his treatment of women during one of his divorces, supporting his position.
Mirroring his experiences at Princeton, Hegseth perceives himself as an underdog in his pursuit of becoming defense secretary. Drawing parallels to his time on the Princeton basketball team, where he encountered obstacles, Hegseth is accustomed to facing challenges and opposition.
In an interview with Reuters, Bryant raised concerns about the treatment of sexual assault cases within the military, calling for greater sensitivity towards survivors
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