Hegseth, Trump’s Defense Secretary Nominee, Settled Sexual Assault Claim

WASHINGTON — President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, settled a sexual assault claim with a financial payment to avoid a potential lawsuit, according to Hegseth’s attorney.

In 2017, following a speaking engagement at a Republican women’s event in Monterey, California, Hegseth faced a sexual assault accusation. No criminal charges were filed.

Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, told the Associated Press that the encounter was consensual and that the accuser was the aggressor. The city’s statement hasn’t confirmed this.

Parlatore stated a confidential settlement was reached years later to prevent a lawsuit that could have led to Hegseth’s dismissal from Fox News. The settlement amount remains undisclosed.

“He was falsely accused, and my position is that he was the victim of blackmail,” Parlatore said, characterizing it as “successful extortion.”

The Washington Post previously reported on the settlement. They also stated they received a memo from a friend of the accuser detailing the allegations, which was sent to Trump’s transition team.

Trump’s transition team offered no immediate response to the memo.

According to the city’s statement, the accuser—whose identity remains protected—reported having bruises on their right thigh. The accuser stated that no weapons were involved.

The incident allegedly occurred between 11:59 p.m. on October 7 and 7 a.m. on October 8, according to the city’s statement.

Hegseth was in Monterey to speak at the California Federation of Republican Women’s biennial convention banquet, as evidenced by social media and promotional materials.

Monterey officials cited state public records law in withholding further details from the police report, citing exempt analysis and conclusions by law enforcement.

At the time of the 2017 accusations, Hegseth, now 44, was undergoing a divorce from his second wife, with whom he has three children. His divorce followed the birth of a child with a Fox News producer, who is now his wife, according to court records and Hegseth’s social media posts. His first marriage ended in 2009 due to infidelity, according to court records.

Following the recent resurfacing of the allegations, Steven Cheung, Trump’s transition spokesperson and incoming White House communications director, stated that the President-elect is “nominating high-caliber and extremely qualified candidates to serve in his Administration.”

“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,” Cheung said.

—Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Palm Beach, Florida, contributed to this report.