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Fact check: Pete hegseth Russian email password matching Princeton email

Checked on March 29, 2025

1. Summary of the results

The claim about Pete Hegseth having a Russian Mail.ru email address matching his Princeton email lacks conclusive evidence and appears to be false based on multiple sources. A White House spokesperson explicitly labeled the rumor as "fake" [1] [1] [1]. Technical evidence further undermines the claim, as Mail.ru's user agreement prevents re-registration of email addresses [1] [1], and a user named Timofey V was documented registering the email address in question shortly after the rumors began circulating [1] [1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The discussion about Hegseth's alleged Russian email address exists within a broader context of legitimate security concerns regarding Trump administration officials' communication methods. Notably, Hegseth was involved in a separate security incident involving the Signal messaging app where military strike plans were inadvertently shared [2]. Der Spiegel did find some personal data about Hegseth, but this information did not substantiate the Russian email claims [2].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

Several factors contribute to the spread of this misinformation:

  • Technical Misunderstanding: The claim ignores Mail.ru's technical limitations regarding email address re-registration [1] [1]
  • Expert Warnings: Multiple security experts, including Aric Toler and New York Times reporters, have cautioned about the credibility of such claims, noting these could be "ghost" email addresses generated from leaked data [1] [1]
  • Timing Inconsistencies: The documented registration of the email address by Timofey V immediately after the rumors began suggests opportunistic registration rather than previous ownership [1] [1]

The persistence of this claim may benefit those seeking to create narratives about foreign influence in American politics, despite lacking substantive evidence. Snopes' inability to conclusively link the Russian email address to Hegseth [1] further emphasizes the importance of careful verification before accepting such claims.

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