Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth had a baby with his Fox News producer lover just weeks before claim of drunken sex assault

His matrimony had fallen isolated erstwhile his woman discovered his mistress had fixed commencement to his girl and his divorcement was astir to outgo him millions.

His beingness was teetering connected the brink arsenic helium turned a small excessively overmuch to alcohol arsenic a crutch. 

And that wasn’t the worst of it for Pete Hegseth – Donald Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary – arsenic his beingness threatened to spiral retired of power successful 2017.

Just weeks aboriginal Hegseth, present 44, was accused of groping aggregate women and sexually assaulting 1 arsenic intoxicant erstwhile again allegedly clouded his judgment.

The allegations of battle could not person travel astatine a much delicate clip for Hegseth personally. His accuser made her claims arsenic his divorcement proceedings were pending with an archetypal lawsuit league acceptable to instrumentality spot little than 3 weeks aboriginal connected October 27.

And fearing for his occupation arsenic a play anchor connected Fox News, Hegseth decided helium should wage the pistillate disconnected alternatively than combat the allegations successful court. 

It is that alleged October 8 battle – which ne'er resulted successful charges – that threatens Hegseth’s information for a spot successful Trump's cabinet. But a DailyMail.com probe reveals that that was conscionable the extremity of the iceberg of the messy beingness that Hegseth was living.

A constabulary study released this week by the City of Monterey, California, shows that a then-30-year-old woman was having champagne with co-workers portion connected a concern travel erstwhile things got 'fuzzy' and she abruptly ended up successful a country with Hegseth.

Timothy Parlatore, a lawyer representing Hegseth, has admitted his lawsuit paid the pistillate for her soundlessness due to the fact that helium did not privation to suffer his job, portion astatine the aforesaid clip dismissing the allegations arsenic 'baseless' and tantamount to a 'successful extortion'. 

Before this week's revelation, it seemed the chisel-jawed decorated Army veteran, staunch Christian, and self-declared defender of accepted household values mightiness person felt assured that his spot successful the Pentagon was assured aft President-elect Donald Trump announced his nominee for Defense Secretary connected November 13. 

But present helium has been forced to admit the ‘battle is conscionable beginning,’ arsenic fears turn that his information could spell the mode of putative lawyer wide Matt Gaetz as the US Senators who indispensable corroborate him commencement looking much deeply into his past.

And DailyMail.com tin uncover that the incidental was conscionable 1 of a drawstring of chaotic events successful which Hegseth was caught up that year.

Typical of his beingness astatine the clip was an quality helium and Rauchet made astatine a friend's wedding.

'They 'couldn't support their hands disconnected each other,' different impermanent told DailyMail.com. 'They were, frankly an embarrassment.'

Today, the self-styled champion of Christian values wears his bosom astir virtually connected his sleeve with 'Deus Vult,' – God Wills It – tattooed connected his limb and the Jerusalem transverse etched implicit his heart. 

But this 'Faith Family and Freedom' mentation of Hegseth is simply a precise antithetic look from the antheral who spent the second fractional of 2017 mired successful scandals of his ain making.

Hegseth was already connected his 2nd matrimony when, successful August of that twelvemonth Rauchet gave commencement to their lovechild, exposing their lengthy affair. 

The commencement of girl Gwen prompted Hegseth's wife, Samantha Deering Hegseth, 43, to record for divorce. 

Those proceedings ended successful a $2million settlement  successful which helium agreed to wage the parent of his 3 young sons, Boone, Gunner and Rex, up to $20,000 a period successful spousal enactment positive kid attraction and schoolhouse fees.

The pursuing month, connected October 8, 2017, came the alleged battle astatine the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa. 

He was interviewed by police and a study was filed by the City of Monterey Police Department.

According to lawyer Parlatore his lawsuit paid the pistillate not due to the fact that helium was blameworthy but due to the fact that helium did not privation to suffer his occupation astatine Fox.

But portion different antheral mightiness person been cowed by truthful overmuch upheaval and the specter of specified superior allegations, little than 3 weeks aboriginal Hegseth and Rauchet were sitting proud, hosted by President Trump astatine a backstage meal astatine the White House on with chap Fox contributor Rob O'Neill – the antheral who killed Osama bin Laden – and his wife.

By December and that wintertime wedding successful New Jersey, recently divorced and with a newborn child, Hegseth appeared wholly unfazed by his chaotic fewer months.

Speaking to DailyMail.com a impermanent recalled: 'He and Jen were sloppy drunk. His overgarment came off, adjacent the necktie was disconnected past helium was unbuttoning his shirt. And they were conscionable each implicit each other.'

Hegseth joined Rauchet successful 2019, making her his 3rd woman and him the begetter of 7 successful a blended household that includes his 3 sons from his 2nd marriage, their girl unneurotic and Rauchet's 3 children from a erstwhile marriage.

Their narration bloomed erstwhile Hegseth began presenting segments for Fox & Friends successful 2014. 

Rauchet was an enforcement shaper connected the amusement and, according to 1 source, Before Pete became a regular co-host connected Fox & Friends Weekend, helium presented segments for the amusement which were filmed retired and about.

'Jen would ever importune connected being there. She had her eyes connected him each the clip and watched him similar a hawk,' 1 insider said. 

'People precise overmuch started to announcement she had much than a nonrecreational involvement successful his performance.

'As for Pete, helium ever had a spot of a estimation arsenic being a skirt chaser.' 

Rauchet who had been a mainstay and acquainted look connected Fox News since 2006 took a sideways determination to Watters World erstwhile web executives became alert of her narration with Hegseth successful 2017.

The matter was the 2nd clip Hegseth's infidelity resulted successful divorce. 

Nine years earlier, arsenic a precursor of what would hap to Samantha herself, archetypal wife, Meredith Schwarz, 43, filed for divorcement aft Hegseth admitted to having been unfaithful with a enactment colleague.

At the clip helium was moving for Vets for Freedom, an enactment which lobbied for much troops successful Iraq. 

Hegseth was the group's enforcement manager from 2007 to 2012. Samantha served arsenic its spokesperson successful 2008. The brace joined successful 2010. 

Two years ago, Hegseth moved with Rauchet and their children from New Jersey to a tiny municipality extracurricular Nashville, Tennessee, attracted, helium has said, by the reddish state's blimpish Christian blimpish values which are amended aligned with those helium present holds.

Earlier this week helium credited the, 'outpouring of support' that helium and his household person received successful caller days arsenic the crushed helium tin 'endure the attacks and the onslaughts'.

Rauchet was astatine her husband's broadside erstwhile Hegseth made his comments connected Tuesday, successful a supplication telephone organized by the Republican National Committee.

Hegseth puts his 'come to Jesus' infinitesimal successful 2018 and possibly it is nary coincidence that it followed blistery connected the heels connected a twelvemonth of tumult that included his 2nd divorce, his love-child's commencement and those allegations of intersexual assault.

According to Hegseth successful 2018 helium and Rauchet started attending the Colts Neck Community Church successful New Jersey, a Baptist assemblage of which, helium has said, Rauchet was initially wary.

Speaking successful an interrogation with Nashville Christian Family, Hegseth recalled: 'Within 20 – I'm broken, you're broken, we're each breached and careening astir not surviving our religion and not being profoundly rooted. 

'I thought I had to beryllium perfect. Let's beryllium candid astir it: Seek Christ, afloat taxable to Him, and let Him Kingship successful life.'

He added: 'Godlessness ends large nations. The 1 happening we tin each bash is get connected our knees and pray.'

Perhaps close present helium is simply praying that nary much secrets look from his caller racy past.