By President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, made a confidential payment to settle allegations of sexual assault from a 2017 incident in California, though his lawyer maintains the encounter was consensual and the payment aimed to prevent a baseless lawsuit.
The settlement stemmed from accusations made after Hegseth spoke at a Republican women’s event in Monterey, California. According to his attorney Tim Parlatore, Hegseth agreed to the payment years after the police investigation to avoid potential dismissal from his position at Fox News, where he worked as a host at the time.
“He was falsely accused and my position is that he was the victim of blackmail,” Parlatore told The Associated Press on Sunday, describing it as a case of “successful extortion.” Parlatore characterized the woman as the “aggressor” in the encounter, though this claim remains unverified in official statements.
According to city records, the incident occurred between 11:59 p.m. October 7 and 7 a.m. the following morning. The accuser, whose identity was not disclosed, reported bruising on their right thigh, though no weapons were involved. No criminal charges were filed.
The Washington Post reported receiving a memo sent to Trump’s transition team this past week from someone claiming to be a friend of the accuser, detailing the assault allegations. Trump’s transition team has not commented on the memo.
The allegations surface amid scrutiny of Hegseth’s personal life, including two divorces. Court records show his second marriage ended after he had a child with a Fox News producer, whom he later married. His first marriage also ended in 2009 following infidelity, according to court documents.
Trump transition spokesman Steven Cheung defended the nomination: “Mr. Hegseth has vigorously denied any and all accusations, and no charges were filed. We look forward to his confirmation as United States Secretary of Defense so he can get started on Day One to Make America Safe and Great Again.”
The 44-year-old nominee was in Monterey addressing the California Federation of Republican Women’s biennial convention when the alleged incident occurred, according to social media posts and promotional materials from the time.
Monterey officials have withheld additional details from the police report, citing state public records law exemptions for law enforcement analysis and conclusions.
apnews.com
