Controversy Surrounds Pete Hegseth

WASHINGTON — Pete Hegseth, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump for the role of defense secretary, is facing serious allegations following reports that he made a payment to a woman who accused him of sexual assault, as disclosed by Hegseth’s legal team.

The claims against Hegseth emerged from an incident that took place in 2017 during an event for Republican women in Monterey, California, where he was a featured speaker. According to statements from city officials, no criminal charges were filed against him.

Timothy Parlatore, who represents Hegseth, informed the Associated Press on Sunday that the interaction in question was consensual, asserting that the woman involved was the “aggressor.” However, this assertion has not been corroborated by the available city statements.

Parlatore noted that a financial settlement was reached with the woman, which occurred a few years after the investigation by law enforcement was concluded. He explained that Hegseth was concerned about the possibility of a lawsuit that could jeopardize his role at Fox News, where he had cultivated a substantial following. The attorney did not provide details regarding the amount of the settlement.

“He was falsely accused, and my position is that he was a victim of extortion,” Parlatore remarked, describing the situation as a clear case of “successful blackmail.”

Read More: Pete Hegseth’s Role in Trump’s Controversial Pardons of Accused War Criminals

The Washington Post has previously reported on the payment and mentioned that it had obtained a memo sent to Trump’s transition team from a woman claiming to be a friend of the accuser, which elaborates on the allegations of sexual assault.

As of Sunday, there has been no comment from Trump’s transition team regarding the memo.

The individual who reported the alleged assault, whose identity, age, and gender remain undisclosed, informed the police that they had sustained bruises on their right thigh and clarified that no weapons were involved in the incident.

The alleged event reportedly occurred sometime between 11:59 p.m. on October 7 and 7 a.m. the following day, according to city officials.

At that time, Hegseth was in Monterey to speak at a banquet organized by the California Federation of Republican Women, as noted in promotional materials and social media posts from that period.

Monterey officials have withheld further details from the police report, citing law enforcement analysis and conclusions that are exempt from release under state public records laws.

When the 2017 allegations surfaced, Hegseth, now 44, was going through a divorce from his second wife, with whom he shares three children. This divorce came after the birth of a child with a Fox News producer who later became his wife. His first marriage ended in 2009, also attributed to his infidelity, according to court documents.

In response to the resurfacing of these allegations, Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump transition team and the future White House communications director, released a statement emphasizing that the President-elect is selecting highly qualified candidates for his administration.

“Mr. Hegseth has firmly denied all accusations, and no charges have been filed against him. We expect his confirmation as the United States Secretary of Defense so that he can commence his efforts to Make America Safe and Great Again on Day One,” Cheung stated.

—This report includes contributions from Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Palm Beach, Florida.