Pete Hegseth Like You’ve Never Seen Him: Girl Dad, Storyteller, and Softie

For years, Pete Hegseth has been known as the tough former Army National Guard officer, the outspoken patriot on Fox & Friends Weekend, and a fearless voice in political debates. But away from the cameras and the controversies, there’s a different side of Pete—one that swaps combat boots for bedtime stories and strategy meetings for tea parties.

That side has a simple name: Dad.

More specifically, a proud girl dad.

From the Battlefield to the High Chair

It’s early morning at the Hegseth household in Tennessee. Pete stands with a steaming mug of coffee in one hand and a tiny pink sock in the other. “This is the battlefield I never trained for,” he jokes, as his youngest daughter laughs happily from her high chair, applesauce smeared in her hair and a crooked bow slipping off her head.

Pete, now 44, is father to seven children—four of whom are daughters. While the military taught him leadership on the battlefield, it’s his daughters who have taught him how to lead with tenderness.

“I used to think courage was all about fighting,” Pete reflects. “Now I know it’s about raising strong, kind daughters in a world that’s often loud and challenging.”

Anchored in What Truly Matters

Known for his passionate views on faith, family, and freedom, Pete says fatherhood—especially as a father of daughters—has reshaped his sense of purpose.

“These girls aren’t just my children,” he says. “They are my legacy. They are the ones I pray for, protect, and learn from every day.”

On social media, Pete shares honest snapshots of family life—not staged moments, but real ones: untangling Barbie’s hair, helping with homework, sitting through Sunday service with a baby in one arm and a toddler asleep on his shoulder.

“People see me on TV,” he laughs, “but they don’t see the part where I’m trying to braid hair while quoting Ronald Reagan—and failing at both.”

Faith, Family, and Fierce Love

Pete and his wife Jennifer Roth Hegseth build their home around traditional values, faith, and patriotism. But raising daughters in today’s world means more than just protection—it means preparing them to be brave and thoughtful.

“I want my girls to be fierce,” Pete says. “Not fierce like the world defines it, but fierce in faith, in thinking, and in love.”

He admits they keep him on his toes. “They fact-check my speeches, out-argue me at dinner, and hold me accountable if I forget a promise. It’s humbling—and exactly the kind of accountability a dad needs.”

Beyond the Spotlight

Though Pete continues to appear regularly on Fox News and publish best-selling books, his proudest title remains “Dad.”

“When the camera turns off, my work doesn’t end,” he says. “Being a father is the mission that lasts a lifetime.”

Looking ahead, Pete hints at a possible special focused on fatherhood in America—real conversations with dads around the country blending patriotism and parenting.

“If it helps even one dad hold his daughter a little longer or tell her she’s brave and brilliant, it will be worth it.”

For now, Pete focuses on the everyday battles: ballet recitals, school drop-offs, and protecting his daughters from the chaos of the world—without shielding them from its truths.

“Being a girl dad has softened me,” Pete admits, “and made me stronger. That’s the paradox of fatherhood. You don’t lose your edge—you learn when to use it.”

In the end, Pete Hegseth doesn’t need to win every debate on air. He just wants to win the hearts of four little girls who already see him as their biggest hero—and their best hair-braider in training.