Pete Hegseth Is Facing a Lawsuit, but What Does That Mean for His Future on Fox?

The eco-system of right-wing TV personalities certainly has enough options that it's not uncommon for hosts to jump from a network like Fox News to OANN, which is why it's sometimes confusing for viewers of one network when a familiar host seems to have vanished.

Now, though, fans are experiencing that very same confusion over Fox & Friends Weekend host Pete Hegseth, but not because he got a new job.

There has been no public indication that Pete is leaving the network, but many began to wonder after he was absent from the most recent set of weekend shows on Fox & Friends. The reasons for Hegseth's absence are not entirely clear, and he has yet to address them on social media. It's possible he was just taking a vacation, although there are others who believe he was absent from the show for legal reasons.

Some believe Hegseth wasn't hosting Fox & Friends because he was busy dealing with a lawsuit filed against him in 2018 over an incident that occurred in 2015. During the incident in question, Hegseth was throwing axes as part of a segment on Fox & Friends when he inadvertently hit Jeff Prosperie, a West Point drummer who was performing behind his intended target.

The lawsuit claims that Hegseth was “negligent, wanton, reckless and careless in, among other things, throwing an axe in an area where he knew or should have known that pedestrians were present.”

It further suggests that Prosperie experienced “severe and serious personal injuries to his mind and body, some of which, upon information and belief, are permanent with permanent effects of pain, disability, disfigurement and loss of body function.”

Shortly after the incident occurred, Prosperie posted in outrage on his Facebook page. “My leadership told me they were told there would be no axe throwing,” he wrote. “I think the anchor person went rogue and decided to throw it.”

Although the lawsuit was filed several years ago, it's possible there has finally been some movement in the case which required Hegseth's active involvement.

Because there has been no indication that Hegseth is leaving Fox, it's possible he may return to his co-hosting duties this upcoming weekend. It could also be the case that Hegseth's role inside of Fox is being evaluated, and he's been pulled from his co-hosting spot as a result. Ultimately, this is all just speculation, and we won't know what's really going on with Hegseth until either Fox or he releases a statement about it.

For those who have enjoyed watching Hegseth on Fox & Friends Weekend, it seems likely that the TV personality will pop up on TV at some point. The world of right-wing cable news is small and fairly close-knit, so even if he doesn't wind up on Fox anymore, he may make his way to one of the station's rival networks.