Controversy Surrounds Pete Hegseth
WASHINGTON — Pete Hegseth, who has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as defense secretary, reportedly made a payment to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in an effort to prevent a potential lawsuit, as revealed by Hegseth’s legal counsel.
The allegations against Hegseth date back to 2017, following an event for Republican women in Monterey, California, where he was a speaker. According to a statement from the city, no criminal charges were brought against him.
Timothy Parlatore, Hegseth’s attorney, shared with the Associated Press on Sunday that the encounter in question was consensual, asserting that the woman who later made the allegation was the “aggressor.” However, this claim has not been substantiated by the city’s statement.
Parlatore indicated that a financial settlement was reached with the woman, which occurred a few years after the police investigation concluded. He explained that Hegseth was worried about the prospect of her filing a lawsuit that could jeopardize his position at Fox News, where he enjoyed significant popularity. The attorney refrained from disclosing the specifics of the settlement amount.
“He was falsely accused, and my stance is that he was subjected to blackmail,” Parlatore stated, describing the situation as a case of “successful extortion.”
Read More: Pete Hegseth’s Involvement in Trump’s Controversial Pardons of Accused War Criminals
The Washington Post previously reported on the payment and mentioned that it had received a memo sent to Trump’s transition team by a woman claiming to be a friend of the accuser, which elaborates on the sexual assault allegations.
As of Sunday, Trump’s transition team had not issued a comment regarding the memo.
The individual who reported the assault, whose identity, age, and gender remain undisclosed, indicated to the police that they had sustained bruises on their right thigh. They also noted that no weapons were involved during the incident.
The alleged incident took place sometime between 11:59 p.m. on October 7 and 7 a.m. the following morning, according to the city’s statement.
At the time, Hegseth was in Monterey to speak at a banquet for the California Federation of Republican Women, as indicated by promotional materials and social media activity from that period.
Monterey officials have withheld additional information contained in the police report, citing that it includes law enforcement analysis and conclusions exempt from release under state public records laws.
During the time of the 2017 allegations, Hegseth, now 44, was navigating a divorce from his second wife, with whom he shares three children. This divorce followed the birth of a child with a Fox News producer who later became his wife. His first marriage ended in 2009, also due to infidelity on his part, according to court documents.
After the allegations came to light last week, Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump transition team and the designated White House communications director, released a statement asserting that the President-elect is choosing highly qualified candidates for his administration.
“Mr. Hegseth has resolutely denied all accusations, and no charges were filed. We anticipate his confirmation as the United States Secretary of Defense so that he can begin his work on Day One to Make America Safe and Great Again,” Cheung stated.
—This report includes contributions from Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Palm Beach, Florida.
