Pete Hegseth has a life that looks like a fast-paced news reel. Between his time as a Fox News host and his 2025 appointment as the U.S. Secretary of Defense, his personal life has been just as busy as his career. If you’ve seen him on TV or at official events lately, you’ve probably noticed the crowd of kids following him. It’s a big group. Seven, to be exact.
But if you’re trying to figure out how many children does Pete Hegseth have with each wife, the math gets a little more specific. He has four biological children and three stepchildren, though he’s famously told outlets like Birmingham Christian Family that he doesn't actually like the word "step." To him, they’re just his kids. Period.
The story of the Hegseth family tree is spread across three marriages. It’s a mix of high school sweethearts, second chances, and a blended family that eventually settled down in Middle Tennessee to find some peace away from the cameras.
The Early Years: Meredith Schwarz
Hegseth’s first marriage was to Meredith Schwarz. They were high school sweethearts from Minnesota, and they tied the knot back in 2004. Honestly, most people don’t even realize he was married before his Fox News days. This chapter of his life was relatively quiet in terms of the spotlight, but it didn't last.
The couple divorced in 2009. There were reports, including some in The New Yorker, suggesting the split happened after he admitted to several affairs. During their four-year marriage, Pete Hegseth and Meredith Schwarz had no children together.
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The Second Marriage: Samantha Deering
Shortly after his first divorce, Hegseth met Samantha Deering while working with the group Vets for Freedom. They married in 2010, and this is where the family really started to grow. For a while, it seemed like the classic American success story.
During their seven-year marriage, Pete and Samantha had three children together—all boys.
- Gunner Hegseth: Their first son, born in June 2010.
- Peter Boone Hegseth: Born in August 2012. Most people call him Boone.
- Rex Hegseth: The youngest of the three boys, born in October 2015.
Life was seemingly normal until 2017. That’s when everything changed. While still married to Samantha, Pete welcomed a daughter with a producer from Fox News named Jennifer Rauchet. Samantha filed for divorce that same year, and the legal process wrapped up in 2018.
The Current Chapter: Jennifer Rauchet
Jennifer Rauchet and Pete Hegseth eventually married in August 2019. The wedding was a big deal—it happened at the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey. By the time they said "I do," they already had their daughter, Gwendolyn.
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So, in terms of biological children with his current wife, Jennifer, Pete has one:
- Gwendolyn "Gwen" Hegseth: Born in August 2017.
However, Jennifer came into the marriage with three children of her own from a previous relationship: Jackson, Luke, and Kenzie. This is why you see seven kids at his swearing-in ceremonies or on his Instagram feed. Pete has been very public about "rejecting" the step-parent label. He told the press that there are no "halves" in their house.
A Blended Life in Tennessee
By 2022, the family of nine decided they’d had enough of the Northeast. They packed up and moved to Middle Tennessee. Pete mentioned on social media that they wanted their kids to grow up with a specific set of values, even enrolling them in a private Christian academy in the Nashville area.
When he was sworn in as Secretary of Defense in January 2025, the whole "Hegseth Clan" was there. It was a pretty viral moment, actually. You had seven kids, ranging from teenagers down to little Gwen, all standing on stage.
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Breakdown of the Hegseth Kids
If you need a quick cheat sheet for the biological count, here is how the numbers fall:
- Meredith Schwarz (Wife 1): 0 children.
- Samantha Deering (Wife 2): 3 children (Gunner, Boone, Rex).
- Jennifer Rauchet (Wife 3): 1 child (Gwen).
Total biological children: 4. Total children in the household: 7.
It’s a complicated history, sure. But as of 2026, the family seems to operate as one massive unit. Whether they’re at a White House event or just hanging out in Tennessee, the "7 souls" Pete often mentions remain the center of his personal world.
To get a better sense of how this large family handles the spotlight, you might want to look into Jennifer Rauchet's social media. She frequently posts updates on their daily life in Tennessee and behind-the-scenes looks at their travels, which offers a more human perspective than the political headlines usually provide.