The ex-sister-in-law of Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth made headlines this week when she accused him of abusing his former wife.

However, the ex-wife has since exonerated Hegseth by insisting that the alleged abuse never took place. 

Affidavit submitted to Senate Armed Services Committee

According to CNN, the claim against Hegseth came earlier this week in the form of an affidavit submitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The document was given to lawmakers by Danielle Hegseth, who was previously married to Pete Hegseth's brother from 2011 to 2019.

Although Danielle Hegseth admitted to having never personally witnessed "physical or sexual abuse," she nevertheless maintained that Samantha Hegseth feared for her safety.

"I have chosen to come forward publicly, at significant personal sacrifice, because I am deeply concerned by what Hegseth’s confirmation would mean for our military and our country and because I have been assured that making this public statement will ensure that certain Senators who are still on the fence will vote against Hegseth’s confirmation," Danielle Hegseth wrote.

"But for that assurance I would not subject myself or others referenced in this statement to the public scrutiny this statement is likely to cause," she went on to say.

Ex-wife: "There was no physical abuse in my marriage"

Yet Samantha Hegseth subsequently provided a statement to NBC News in which she denied that her ex-husband had abused her.

"There was no physical abuse in my marriage," NBC News quoted her as saying in an email after being asked for a comment.

"This is the only further statement I will make to you, I have let you know that I am not speaking and will not speak on my marriage to Pete. Please respect this decision," she added.

Tim Parlatore is an attorney for Pete Hegseth, and he said in a statement of his own to NBC News that the abuse allegations are politically motivated.

Lawyer calls ex-sister-in-law "an anti-Trump far left Democrat"

"Sam has never alleged that there was any abuse, she signed court documents acknowledging that there was no abuse and recently reaffirmed the same during her FBI interview," Parlatore pointed out.

"Belated claims by Danielle Dietrich, an anti-Trump far left Democrat who is divorced from Mr. Hegseth’s brother and never got along with the Hegseth family, do nothing to change that," he insisted.

"After an acrimonious divorce, Ms. Dietrich has had an axe to grind against the entire Hegseth family," Parlatore further asserted.