Trump's Defense Nominee Hegseth Paid Accuser in 2017 Monterey Assault Case; Team Weighs Nomination

Nov 17, 2024, 12:32 AM

Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, was accused of sexual assault in 2017 after a speaking engagement at a Republican women's event in Monterey, California. According to documents obtained by The Washington Post, Hegseth paid the woman who accused him as part of a nondisclosure agreement four days after the allegations. His attorney acknowledged the payment but maintained that the encounter was consensual, stating that Hegseth was "visibly intoxicated" at the time. As new details emerge, including concerns that "he hadn't been properly vetted," Trump's transition team is reportedly weighing Hegseth's nomination.