The mother of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense, sent an email to her son in 2018 that sharply criticized his treatment of women, The New York Times reported Friday.

Pete Hegseth's mom, Pete Hegseth, accused her son of abusing women for years in an email released by 'New York Times.'

Pete Hegseth 's own mother accused him of being abusive toward women in a 2018 email.

Pete Hegseth, the Fox News anchor whom Donald Trump has tapped to be his defense secretary, has come under intense scrutiny for his mistreatment of women, including an allegation of rape. One of his critics was, at one time, his own mother.

The Times noted that Penelope Hegseth described their publishing of the email as "disgusting" and she apologized to her son in a follow-up email.

In a 2018 email to the former Fox News anchor, his mother Penelope Hegseth said she had ‘no respect’ for her son

The New York Times obtained a copy of an email sent by the mother of Trump's chosen defense chief, who has a history of sexual misconduct allegations.

The mother of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary, previously accused Hegseth of having abused “many women,” the New York Times reported, marking the latest claims that could complicate Hegseth’s confirmation process.

The man chosen to be Donald Trump’s defence secretary has come under further pressure over his private life after the emergence of an email from his mother calling him an “abuser” of women.