Pete Hegseth has been a mainstay on television for years, but lately, the spotlight has shifted from his political commentary to his personal life—specifically his large, blended family. If you’ve seen him on screen or caught a glimpse of his swearing-in ceremony as Secretary of Defense in 2025, you probably noticed a small army of kids standing by his side. It’s a lot to keep track of. Honestly, even Pete has poked fun at the sheer number of names he has to remember on the fly.
The Hegseth household isn’t your typical "nuclear" setup. It’s a mix of biological children from two different marriages and stepchildren who he insists on calling his own. Basically, there are seven kids in total. If you’re trying to figure out who belongs to whom or what their names are, you aren't alone. People search for pete hegseth children's names constantly because the family tree has a few twists and turns.
The Three Sons from the Second Marriage
Pete’s first marriage to Meredith Schwarz didn't result in any children. It wasn't until his second marriage to Samantha Deering that he became a father. During their seven-year marriage, which ended in 2017, they had three boys.
Gunner Hegseth is the oldest of the bunch. Born on June 13, 2010, he’s now firmly into his teenage years. Then there’s Peter Boone Hegseth, though most people—including his dad—just call him Boone. He was born on August 7, 2012. Boone actually made some waves in early 2024 when he won his race for class president, leading Pete to brag on Instagram that he was the "first Hegseth ever elected" to office.
The youngest of the three boys is Rex Brian Hegseth, born in October 2015. Rex is often the one people remember because of the viral moment where Pete fumbled slightly while listing his kids' names during a high-pressure interview. "Sorry, it's a lot of them," he joked. It was a humanizing moment that any parent with more than two kids can probably relate to.
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The Daughter with Jennifer Rauchet
The timeline of Pete’s family life gets a little complicated here. While still legally married to Samantha, Pete began a relationship with Jennifer Rauchet, who was then an executive producer at Fox News.
Their daughter, Gwendolyn Hegseth, was born on August 16, 2017. She’s the only biological child Pete and Jennifer have together. She often goes by "Gwen" and is frequently the star of Jennifer’s social media posts. After Pete’s divorce from Samantha was finalized, he and Jennifer eventually tied the knot at a Trump National Golf Club in 2019.
"No Such Thing as Step-Kids"
One thing Pete is very vocal about is his dislike for the term "stepfather." He’s been on the record saying he rejects the "step" and "half" labels entirely. In his view, they are just one big family brought together by "the grace of God."
Jennifer came into the marriage with three children of her own from a previous relationship. These three are:
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- Jackson
- Luke
- Kenzie
While they aren't his biological children, they are fully integrated into the "Hegseth clan." You’ll see them at every major event, from holiday photos in Tennessee (where they moved in 2022) to the halls of the Pentagon during Pete’s official ceremonies. Kenzie, the only girl from Jennifer's previous marriage, and Gwen seem to have a close bond, often pictured together as the "sisters" of the group.
Life in Tennessee and the "Seven Souls"
In August 2022, the family made a big move from the New York area down to Tennessee. Pete shared the news on Instagram, referring to his wife and the "7 souls" they were raising. It was a move for a slower pace of life, though with seven kids ranging from elementary school to college age, "slow" is probably a relative term.
Raising seven kids is expensive and chaotic. Hegseth has often used his platform to talk about the importance of fatherhood and "traditional" family values, even when critics point out the messy path he took to get to his current marriage.
Why the Names Matter
Why do people care so much about pete hegseth children's names? Part of it is just curiosity about a public figure, but another part is how Pete uses his family as part of his political brand. He’s written books about the "American mind" and the "warrior ethos," and he often frames his role as a father of seven as his most important "deployment."
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- Gunner (Oldest son)
- Boone (Middle son, class president)
- Rex (Youngest son from second marriage)
- Gwen (Daughter with Jennifer)
- Jackson, Luke, and Kenzie (Jennifer's children)
It’s a lot to keep straight. But for the Hegseths, it seems to work. Whether they are hiking in Tennessee or attending a high-stakes political event, the seven kids are almost always part of the package.
If you're looking for more info on how they manage such a large household, Jennifer’s Instagram is usually the best place to look. She’s the one who shares the "real life" moments—the chaotic birthdays, the school milestones, and the quiet weekends. It gives a glimpse into a world that is much less about policy and much more about carpools and dinner schedules.
To stay updated on the family’s latest milestones, you can follow their public social media updates or look for Pete's occasional mentions of his kids during public addresses. Knowing the names is just the first step in understanding the complex, blended dynamic of one of the most talked-about families in the current administration.