Hegseth takes six of his children to France on official trip

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Washington Post

Hegseth takes six of his children to France on official trip

The Pentagon says he is covering their travel expenses, but bringing them along could strain his security team at a time of increased threats, officials warned.

June 5, 2026 at 6:56 p.m. EDTYesterday at 6:56 p.m. EDT
5 min


Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Dec. 17 at Joint Base Andrews. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

By Tara Copp
https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/tara-copp/

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision to bring six of his children on an official trip to France that began Friday is putting added strain on his personal protective detail amid heightened threats stemming from the Iran war, one current and two former employees of the agency responsible for his security said.

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446 Comments

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/05/hegseth-takes-six-his-kids-france-official-trip/

[Haggard Celine]

1. I really wish they wouldn't breed, at least not so much.

[Callie1979]

6. Thats why the Cult is pushing now; step up your reproduction NOW. "Pronatism"

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/us/politics/trump-birthrate-proposals.html

[RetiredParatrooper]

13. Smacks of the Lebensborn program

In a certain country in Central Europe last century.

[Callie1979]

14. Yep!

[Alice B.]

2. First thought: "six *of* his children?"

Good lord.

Second thought is just me remembering a kinder, gentler time when something like this would tank a career.

[BaronChocula]

10. Hegspawn

I hope they grow up to hate their father.

There was actually a time when being a drunk was disqualifying for that role. It tanked the GHWB's nomination of John Tower for Defense. Senators usually support former colleagues in nominations, so that was really a big deal. Now, being a drunken tv host ain't no big thing.

[Alice B.]

15. Can we ever go back?

[BaronChocula]

16. As soon as I unplug the entire Internet

But it would really be great to go back to the 70s and, knowing what we know now, prevent this civil rights backlash we're going through now. That backlash is at the root of what became that twisted cult.

[fujiyamasan]

17. None of them are qualified for the roles they have

It’s incrediblez
Hogshit,
Patel,
The new DNI guy… I mean a mortgage guy heading fucking military intel? You couldn’t script out something more absurd. No producer would greenlight it because it would sound like absolute nonsense. Idiocracy had nothing on this timeline

And yet, here we are.

[tanyev]

3. How many does he have??

[RamblingRose]

4. All from only one marriage I'm sure. Family Values

[Earth Bound Misfit]

5. Pete Kegsbreath...

...has a blended family of seven children - four biological children from two marriages - three sons with his ex-wife Samantha Deering and one daughter with his current wife Jennifer Rauchet - as well as three stepchildren from his current wife's previous marriage.

[lonely bird]

7. Sigh

Another religionist who couldn’t stay married to his wife?

[Texin]

8. "...six of his children..." Good lord, how many children does this guy have (and with how many wives)?

[GenThePerservering]

9. He needs a better tailor

or to lose a few pounds - his suit doesn't fit.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. Alcohol gives you a big belly n/t

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

11. Hegseth marks D-Day in France with sharp words for Europe on migration and defense spending

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth marked the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, on Saturday by accusing Western European capitals of letting an "invasion" of migrants reach their shores and warning that the U.S. expects more from its allies.

Speaking at the American memorial honoring the U.S. service members who took part in the 1944 invasion that helped turn the tide of World War II, Hegseth said the alliance that won the war was built on each country pulling its weight and contrasted that with what he called the complacency of "much of the West" today.

"Each nation pulled its weight, each nation bled," Hegseth said. "America will lead, and we must, but capable allies must be right there with us, shoulder to shoulder in the breach when it matters."

NATO leaders agreed at last year's summit in the Hague to raise core defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, with another 1.5% going to security-related areas like infrastructure and cyber defense. The Trump administration has pushed both European and Asian allies to meet that target faster.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/article/hegseth-marks-d-day-in-france-with-sharp-words-for-europe-on-migration-and-defense-spending-145310300.html

Like a typical Trumper he can't help but stink up the place.