Trump's Defense Nominee Hegseth Denies 2017 Sexual Assault Allegation After Settlement

Nov 17, 2024, 05:02 PM

Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and Army National Guard veteran, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Secretary of Defense. Hegseth faces allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2017 incident in Monterey, California, where a woman accused him of assault at a Hyatt hotel following a speaking engagement. The Monterey police investigated the alleged assault, and the woman underwent a rape kit that reportedly found evidence of semen and contusions. While Hegseth paid a settlement to the woman in December 2020 as part of a nondisclosure agreement, he maintains that the encounter was consensual and denies any wrongdoing. His attorney, Timothy Parlatore, stated that Hegseth settled to avoid potential damage to his career at Fox News during the height of the #MeToo movement, fearing termination if the allegations became public.