Pentagon staffers use unflattering nickname for Pete Hegseth’s wife

Por Brendan Rascius — – World RSS Feed

‘Now there’s a woman with an extremely tight leash on the man she married,’ one source said

Brendan Rascius in New York Friday 18 September 2026 15:40 BST

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Within the halls of the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s wife has been given an unflattering nickname, according to a new report.

Jennifer Hegseth, who previously worked as her husband’s producer at Fox News, has become a prominent presence at the Pentagon and is viewed by some as one of his closest advisers.

Unnamed sources told The Daily Mail that she has a hand in managing the defense secretary’s activities and public image. “Now there’s a woman with an extremely tight leash on the man she married,” one source told the outlet. “She’s like his parole officer and PR agent all at once,” another source previously said.

Her degree of influence, the sources suggested, has prompted a derisive comparison among some staffers.

They have reportedly dubbed her “Yoko Ono” after John Lennon’s widow, who was often portrayed by critics as a controlling influence on the late Beatles superstar. A narrative has also persisted for decades that she was the reason the band broke up.

Some Pentagon staffers have reportedly used an unflattering nickname for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's wife — Some Pentagon staffers have reportedly used an unflattering nickname for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s wife ( AFP via Getty Images )

When reached by the outlet, a Pentagon spokesperson described her as a “vital asset and a true force multiplier for our mission.”

The spokesperson added: “The Department of War not only welcomes her current leadership but actively plans to involve her even more deeply in the future. She is simply that valuable to our community and our nation.”

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for comment.

Jennifer Hegseth, 49, is reportedly the defense secretary’s “most influential adviser,” attending high-level meetings, conducting interviews with prospective staffers and readying her husband for appearances.

She reportedly supported her husband’s combative posture toward the press, working with him to keep reporters out of the Pentagon, a Trump administration official previously told The New York Times.

Jennifer Hegseth, the defense secretary’s third wife, also attended a sensitive meeting last year between her husband and British defense officials, who were made “uneasy” by her presence. Also last year, she was included in a now-infamous Signal group chat last year in which her husband shared plans for a U.S. attack on Yemen.

Jennifer Hegseth attends Lindsey Graham’s funeral service in July alongside her husband, Todd Blanche, Scott Bessent and other Trump administration officials ( Getty Images )

In August, the Trump administration announced Jennifer Hegseth was taking on more responsibilities, naming her the chair of the newly created Presidential Military Spouse Commission.

Democrats have described her degree of access and influence as highly unusual.

The defense secretary, who has played a leading role in the ongoing Iran war and has enacted sweeping changes at the Pentagon, has also been given a few nicknames of his own.

Behind his back, some staffers are said to call him “Colonel Vodka” and “Whiskey Pete,” references to accusations that he had drinking problems — claims the Trump administration has dubbed “completely unfounded,” the Mail reported.

Some staffers have also dubbed Pete Hegseth “No Tab Pete” — a nod to his “lack of elite combat insignia,” per the outlet. The defense secretary, who served in the Army National Guard, previously deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.

A Pentagon spokesperson characterized these claims as “fake news.”