Meredith Schwarz and Pete Hegseth were voted “Most Likely to Marry” by their graduating class of 1999 at Forest Lake Area High School in Minnesota. However, what began as a high school romance that seemed destined for success ended in divorce just five years after they married in 2004. Pete Hegseth’s first wife, Meredith Schwarz, born in 1981, has remained largely out of the public eye since their separation in 2009. The marriage reportedly ended following revelations of infidelity, including Pete Hegseth’s admission to having had five affairs. This article explores the real story behind their relationship, including how they met, what led to their divorce, and where Meredith Schwarz is today.
From High School Sweethearts to Marriage
Pete Hegseth and Meredith Schwarz began dating near the end of their freshman year at Forest Lake Area High School in the Minneapolis suburbs. The pair appeared to be the ideal high school couple. He played varsity football and basketball while she served on the student council and received a nomination for homecoming queen. Both excelled academically and earned admission to elite universities: Princeton for Pete and Barnard College for Meredith.
Their yearbook entries from that era reveal the affection they held for each other. Schwarz wrote that Hegseth had “a heart of gold and is the sweetest guy I know”. Hegseth described her as “as beautiful, caring, intelligent, and loving inside as she is outside”.
The couple maintained their relationship through college despite the distance, meeting on weekends and during summer breaks. After graduation, they married in 2004 at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Minnesota, shortly before Hegseth’s Army National Guard unit deployed to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The early marriage stood out among their peers. One of Schwarz’s college friends noted, “I didn’t know many people who were married”. Both were registered Republicans and religious Midwesterners—she was raised Roman Catholic, he was Baptist.
Before his military service began, Schwarz secured an investment banking position at JP Morgan in New York.
What Really Happened: The Divorce Story
The relationship between Pete Hegseth and Meredith Schwarz deteriorated while they lived apart. Hegseth told Schwarz he wanted to move with her to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Schwarz quit JP Morgan, sold her New York apartment, and relocated to Minneapolis, where she accepted a position at General Mills.
Hegseth never followed through. He remained in Washington, DC, and grew evasive about his plans. Schwarz documented her confusion in her journal, “begging God to help her figure out what was happening”.
In November 2008, Hegseth arrived at Schwarz’s parents’ house in Forest Lake wearing his Army uniform and confessed to infidelity. The revelation devastated her. The following day, Schwarz’s younger brother called Hegseth for a four-hour conversation. “Pete said he no longer believed in God and family values,” a source familiar with the call reported. “He said, and this quote is as clear as day, ‘I’m a fucked up individual'”.
Schwarz discovered unexplained hotel charges on her credit card. When confronted, Hegseth was evasive. She later learned the room was for Samantha Deering, a colleague from Vets for Freedom. Hegseth ultimately admitted to five affairs during their marriage.
In December 2008, Schwarz filed for divorce. The judgment filed in Hennepin County cited “an irretrievable breakdown of the parties’ marriage relationship…due to Respondent’s infidelity”. The divorce was finalized in 2009.
Meredith Schwarz Today: Career, Privacy, and Life After Pete
Following the divorce, Meredith Schwarz built a distinguished career across finance and corporate development. After her time at General Mills, she transitioned to private equity in San Francisco, gaining experience in buy and sell-side transactions both domestically and internationally. In 2017, she joined Rustica Bakery as Partner and CEO, guiding the company through its most profitable year. She later transitioned to a Partner and Advisor role focused on Food and Retail.
Her career continued to evolve when she joined Minnesota Birth Control as Partner and Chief Financial Officer in August 2021. Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Wealth Enhancement. Throughout her 20-year career, she has worked with families, founders, and entrepreneurs navigating business sales and transitions.
Born in 1981, Meredith is around 44 years old. She earned a BA in Economics and English from Columbia University. Unlike many individuals connected to public figures, she has not leveraged her past marriage for visibility or media exposure. She maintains no social media presence and avoids interviews.
Meredith remarried and now lives outside Minneapolis with her husband and two young daughters. Her ability to maintain privacy while building a successful career reflects a deliberate choice to define herself through professional achievement rather than past associations. Public curiosity about her resurfaces whenever Pete Hegseth reaches new career milestones, yet she remains committed to living on her own terms.
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Conclusion
Meredith Schwarz’s story illustrates resilience in the face of public scrutiny. While her marriage to Pete Hegseth ended after his admitted infidelities, she chose a different path forward. By and large, she has succeeded in maintaining her privacy while building an impressive career in finance and corporate development. Her deliberate absence from social media and interviews demonstrates that personal dignity doesn’t require public validation. She has defined herself through professional accomplishments rather than past relationships.
FAQs
Q1. Was Pete Hegseth still married to Meredith Schwarz when he began his relationship with his current wife?Â
Pete Hegseth was married to Meredith Schwarz from 2004 until their divorce was finalized in 2009. The marriage ended after Hegseth admitted to having five affairs during their time together. He went on to have subsequent marriages after his divorce from Schwarz.
Q2. How long were Pete Hegseth and Meredith Schwarz married?Â
Pete Hegseth and Meredith Schwarz were married for approximately five years. They wed in 2004 at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Minnesota, and Schwarz filed for divorce in December 2008, which was finalized in 2009.
Q3. Why did Meredith Schwarz and Pete Hegseth divorce?Â
The divorce was caused by Pete Hegseth’s infidelity. In November 2008, he confessed to having multiple affairs during their marriage. The divorce judgment filed in Hennepin County specifically cited “an irretrievable breakdown of the parties’ marriage relationship…due to Respondent’s infidelity.”
Q4. Did Meredith Schwarz and Pete Hegseth have any children together?Â
No, Meredith Schwarz and Pete Hegseth did not have any children during their marriage. However, Meredith has since remarried and now has two young daughters with her current husband.
Q5. What is Meredith Schwarz doing now?Â
Meredith Schwarz has built a successful career in finance and corporate development. She currently serves as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Wealth Enhancement. She lives outside Minneapolis with her husband and two daughters, maintaining complete privacy with no social media presence or public interviews.