Secretary of Defense Candidate Hegseth Facing Sexual Assault Allegation in 2017 Police Summons

President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, was involved in an alleged sexual assault at a hotel in Monterey, California, in 2017, according to local officials.

Police records released by the City of Monterey show the alleged incident occurred in the early hours of October 8, 2017, and involved a victim who suffered bruising to her hip. Authorities have not released the age or identity of the alleged victim.

Tim Parlatore, Hegseth’s personal attorney since 2017, told Military.com on Friday: “As confirmed by the Monterey Police Department, there was an allegation that was fully investigated and he was cleared of any wrongdoing.”

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Fox News weekend host Hegseth’s nomination and National Guard The veteran who will lead the Pentagon sent shockwaves through Washington and the defense community this week. As the US military shifts its focus from countering terrorism to the fight against China, Hegseth’s selection raised eyebrows given his inexperience in the defense community but underlined Trump’s appetite for disruption and his significant promise to shake up the establishment.

It was still unclear Friday what Hegseth’s priorities would be as defense secretary, and his nomination still must be approved by the Senate — unless Trump attempts to make his own appointments while Congress is in recess, evading the legislature’s typical scrutiny. state. However, the Senate has not taken a real recess in years, especially to prevent such moves by the executive branch.

Hegseth has long been a culture warrior, protesting the military’s so-called “woke” culture through appearances in various books and media in recent years. Republicans have used the term to mock what they claim is the creeping advance of liberal policies in the military in recent years. It often refers to the increasing numbers of minorities, women, and other marginalized groups in the ranks and policies that recognize and address them.

Among her criticisms, Hegseth touched on a major problem with women in combat roles, saying female troops undermine the effectiveness of front-line units. Women have long held important roles in the military, but the ban on serving in direct ground combat was lifted by former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in 2013; this was the result of a long effort to achieve equality in the ranks.

The disclosure of the alleged sexual assault call to police emerged shortly after Hegseth’s candidacy was announced this week. He did not face any formal investigation into his conduct during his National Guard service, according to a spokesman for the National Guard Bureau.

The National Guard also had not released Hegseth’s full military record as of Friday, which includes duty assignments that could shed light on his qualifications.

His military background includes a relatively unremarkable career, and he left the District of Columbia National Guard in 2021 as a major with just under 13 years of service.

Questions remain unanswered, particularly about Hegseth’s service in the D.C. National Guard and his role in the Guard’s response to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection by Trump supporters who mistakenly believe the presidential election was stolen.

At a news conference Thursday, reporters pressed Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh about Hegseth’s tenure in the Guard. But Singh provided little clarity.

“I wasn’t here at that time, and we were going through our own transition process as the incoming Biden administration,” he said. “That’s really something the services will handle.”

Hegseth ended his Guard career after being among at least a dozen Guard members removed from Capitol defense duty following the Jan. 6 attack.

He claimed he was labeled a security risk because of his Jerusalem cross tattoo. But Hegseth also has a “Deus Vult” cross tattoo, a symbol tied to the First Crusade. The phrase and the cross have since been co-opted by neo-Nazi and far-right groups, leading to increased scrutiny of his past.

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