Hegseth was joined by his wife, Jen, for a recent podcast interview where they discussed their seven children

Pete Hegseth (L), Marco Rubio (middle) and Stephen Miller (R).Credit : NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty; ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty; Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joked that he would not trust two key members of the Trump administration to watch his kids. Hegseth, 45, shares seven children with wife Jen Hegseth, who joined him on the latest episode of The Katie Miller Podcast.

Host Katie Miller — who is married to Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller — asked Pete during the show which members of the Trump administration he would pick to watch his children.

“Oh, I mean, not your husband or Marco,” replied Pete, referring to Stephen and the Secretary of State. He smiled as Katie and Jen laughed at his response.

Pete then said he would trust Vice President JD Vance or Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, whom he previously worked with at Fox News and has known “for years.” The head of the Department of Defense — which the Trump administration has rechristened the Department of War — also named Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

When Katie asked which members of the administration would get “totally rolled by the Hegseth kids,” Pete said, “probably the ones the kids thought they knew the best and they felt most comfortable with,” before going on to name Rubio and Duffy.

Pete Hegseth and Jennifer Rauchet pose for a photo with their 7 children in July 2021.Pete Hegseth/ Instagram

While Pete said he wouldn’t choose Stephen to watch his kids, he did name Stephen as the person most likely to call him “after hours in an emergency.”

Katie agreed, saying, “One hundred percent,” as Pete added, “Stephen, you know it’s true. You know it’s true. There’s others on the list, but he’s on top of the mountaintop.”

Pete has been married three times and is a dad to four children and three stepchildren. He married his first wife and high school girlfriend Meredith Schwarz in 2004; the two filed for divorce in 2008 after he allegedly admitted to having multiple affairs, according to The New Yorker.

He then wed ex-wife Samantha Deering in 2010. The two welcomed three kids before their split. Pete and Jen quietly welcomed a daughter in August 2017, after which Deering filed for divorce, according to Vanity Fair.

Jennifer Rauchet and Pete Hegseth arrive for a meeting on Jan. 8, 2025 in Washington, DC.Kevin Dietsch/Getty

Jen also had three children before marrying Hegseth at Trump National Golf Club in Colts Neck, N.J. in August 2019.

Pete told Birmingham Christian Family in 2024 that he rejects the stepfather title, saying, “there are no ‘steps’ or ‘halves’ in the Hegseth clan.”

Pete often shares photos of his kids on Instagram, showing the family celebrating holidays together and attending sporting events together. He recently shared an image of his family watching the Washington Commanders in early November.

All seven of Pete and Jen’s children were in attendance when he was sworn in as defense secretary in January 2025. Jen shared her own photos from the day, including images of their children in the White House and standing by Pete while he took his oath.