[Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, revealed in a written correspondence with the Senate Armed Services Committee that he paid $50,000 as part of a confidentiality agreement to a woman who alleged he sexually assaulted her in 2017. Hegseth has publicly denied the allegations, which he contends were a “nuisance claim.” The alleged incident occurred in Monterey, California, and Hegseth reached a settlement agreement with his accuser, which included a confidentiality clause, to prevent her from trying to tarnish his career as a Fox News host with allegations he says are false.
Hegseth’s attorney, Tim Parlatore, confirmed in November that his client had paid the accuser years after the alleged incident, but the dollar amount had not been publicly known until Hegseth revealed it to the committee. Parlatore again called the accuser’s claims false, stating that they were settled for “nuisance value, much less than it would have cost to defend.”
Hegseth is on his way to winning Senate confirmation after clearing a key procedural hurdle on a 51-49 vote. Two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, voted against the nomination, citing his character and qualifications for the job.
The alleged sexual assault incident is just one of several allegations that have emerged since Hegseth was announced as Trump’s defense secretary pick. He has also been accused of mismanaging funds at one nonprofit and at another organization, former employees complained about his excessive drinking and treatment of female staff. Additionally, Hegseth has been questioned about his prior comments suggesting that women should not serve in combat roles, which he has since clarified, stating that his comments were tied to the military’s standards and readiness.
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