President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is facing allegations of sexual assault from 2017. According to his lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, Hegseth paid the woman who accused him of sexual assault to prevent a baseless lawsuit. The incident allegedly occurred after a speaking appearance at a Republican women’s event in Monterey, California. The city released a statement confirming the accusation but no charges were filed.
Parlatore claims that the sexual encounter was consensual and that the woman was the “aggressor.” However, this assertion has not been confirmed by the city’s statement. A payment was made to the woman as part of a confidential settlement a few years after the incident. Parlatore stated that Hegseth was concerned about a potential lawsuit that could have led to his firing from Fox News, where he was a popular host. The amount of the payment was not disclosed.
The Washington Post reported on the payment and obtained a memo sent to Trump’s transition team by a friend of the accuser detailing the assault allegations. The transition team has not commented on the memo. The city’s statement mentioned that the person who reported the assault had bruises on the right thigh, and the incident occurred between 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 7 and 7 a.m. the following morning.
Hegseth was in Monterey to address the California Federation of Republican Women during a banquet dinner at the time of the incident. Details from the police report have not been fully disclosed due to exemptions under state public records law. At the time of the accusations, Hegseth was going through a divorce with his second wife, with whom he has three children. He had previously been married and divorced in 2009 due to infidelity.
After the allegations surfaced, a spokesperson for the Trump transition team defended Hegseth, stating that he denied all accusations and that no charges were filed. The team looks forward to his confirmation as Secretary of Defense to start working on making America safe and great again.
The situation raises questions about accountability, transparency, and the handling of sexual assault allegations, especially in high-profile positions. It also highlights the challenges faced by individuals in the public eye when facing such accusations. It’s essential to take such allegations seriously and ensure a fair and thorough investigation process to uphold justice and accountability.
