A woman accused Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary, of sexually assaulting her in 2017 at an event in a hotel in Monterey. Hegseth denied any wrongdoing and was not charged. His attorney stated that the woman was the aggressor and later extorted money from him. The Trump transition team did not comment on the allegations.
The woman claimed that after drinking at a bar, she found herself in an unknown room with Hegseth, who blocked her attempt to leave and had non-consensual sexual contact with her. She went to the hospital for a sexual assault exam shortly after the incident. Hegseth admitted to having sex with the woman but insisted it was consensual, although he acknowledged that she showed signs of regret afterwards.
The allegations against Hegseth came to light after he confirmed that he had reached a settlement with his accuser, paying an undisclosed amount. The police report stated that the woman consumed more alcohol than usual on the day of the incident and believed a drug may have been slipped into her drink.
Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, is one of several high-profile individuals in Trump’s Cabinet facing allegations of sexual misconduct. The police investigation did not result in charges against Hegseth.
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