Video of Pete Hegseth discussing his alcohol preferences takes off online after Trump weighed in on his 'drinking problem'

Video has emerged of Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, discussing his drinking preferences when it comes to alcohol. 

Hegseth is facing intensifying scrutiny as allegations about his drinking habits have resurfaced.  

The clip from 2020 Friday Night Live with Pete Hegseth sees him candidly discussing his choices revealing his shift from beer to gin due to age and health considerations. 

'I'm a gin guy. Gin and soda,' he shared, humorously noting his attempts to moderate his consumption while balancing early-morning commitments at Fox News.

The video, shared by various accounts on X has garnered almost one million views.

'My favorite beer? I do have a case of Corona Light in the basement right now but that's for obvious reasons. Now, Coors Light is what I normally drink. I've moved away from beer, it's a sign you're getting old when beer just doesn't work with your digestive system the way that you want it to and it doesn't. So I do less beer these days. Gin is my poison of choice,' Hegseth stated.' 

'But now that I'm getting older I gotta get up early for Fox and Friends, I put this much soda in and this much gin in so I'm not really drinking all that much. Although I may have many glasses.' 

His attorney, Tim Parlatore insisted: 'There was never any drinking on the job at Fox News. Multiple people have come out on the record using their names to refute these false anonymous claims.'

While Hegseth has defended himself against accusations of excessive drinking, critics have questioned his suitability for the role.

Hegseth, a veteran and former Fox News commentator, has been accused of drinking excessively, including during his tenure at the network.

He tackled the claims during an interview on The Megyn Kelly Show, describing the allegations as 'smears' based on anonymous sources.

'First of all, I've never had a drinking problem,' Hegseth said. 'No one's ever approached me and said, "You should really look at getting help for drinking."'

He added that while some veterans may turn to alcohol to cope with the 'demons' of war, he has not sought counseling or struggled with addiction.

'[I've] Never, never sought counseling, never sought help, but I respect and appreciate people who do. But you know, what do guys do when they come back from war oftentimes? Have some beers. How do you deal with the demons you see on the battlefield? Sometimes it's with a bottle.'

In an effort to address doubts over his suitability, Hegseth has pledged to abstain from alcohol entirely if confirmed, likening the role to a military deployment. 

'This is the biggest deployment of my life, and there won't be a drop of alcohol on my lips while I'm doing it,' he vowed.

Despite the controversy, Trump has remained steadfast in his support for Hegseth, describing him as a 'very smart guy' with a 'tremendous track record.' 

"How concerned are you that the person who you picked for this top job at the defense department, at least according to those who worked with him, has struggled with drinking?', Trump was asked by NBC. 

When pressed on the allegations, Trump said he had spoken to people close to Hegseth who denied he had any drinking problems.

However, concerns persist among lawmakers, some of whom have expressed reservations about his confirmation. 

'People were a little bit concerned,' Trump said. 'He's a young guy with a tremendous track record, actually: He went to Princeton and went to Harvard. He was a good student at both, but he loves the military, and I think people are starting to see it, so, we're going to be working on his nomination along with a lot of others.'

Nevertheless, the growing doubts over his suitability has has prompted speculation about possible replacements, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who is considered a safer choice and who would likely face fewer obstacles in securing Senate confirmation.

Aside from allegations over Hegseth's drinking a seven-year-old sexual assault accusation has also resurfaced, though no charges were filed, and Hegseth maintains the encounter was consensual.

In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, Hegseth laid out a vigorous defense of his record, including his time spent at two veterans advocacy groups, Concerned Veterans for America and Veterans For Freedom.

In new allegations this week, The New Yorker cited what it described as a whistleblower report and other documents about his time leading CVA that alleged multiple incidents of alcohol intoxication at work events, inappropriate behavior around female staffers and financial mismanagement.

Hegseth, in the op-ed, acknowledged spending too much money during the 2008 campaign in support of then-candidate John McCain, so that Veterans For Freedom went into debt. But he said he stayed on until all bills were paid. And he said his split from CVA was over a 'difference of opinion' about the group's future.

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a military veteran and sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after her meeting with Hegseth. She said she appreciates his military service and they 'had a frank and thorough conversation.'

In other sections of the taped interview with Megyn Kelly, Hegseth said Trump told him he wanted a 'warfighter' who would clean out the 'woke crap.'

Citing his Capitol Hill meeting, Hegseth said, 'No one has looked me in the eye and said, 'I have concerns.' He added, 'We're not backing down one bit.'

Hegseth paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault at a California hotel in 2017 after Hegseth had given a speech at a Republican event. His lawyer said the payment was to head off the threat of a baseless lawsuit.

Asked by Kelly if he sexually assaulted the woman, Hegseth said 'absolutely not.' He called it a 'really unfortunate situation' and said he paid her because he 'had to,' contending that her lawyers said they would 'out him.'

He declined to reveal the amount paid, but said it was done to protect his wife, himself and his job.

He said it is a 'fair characterization' to call him a serial cheater, who cheated on all three of his wives. 'Was I a perfect man, absolutely not,' he said.