Trump’s defense candidate Pete Hegseth paid compensation to the woman who accused him of sexual assault, denied the allegation

a lawyer Pete Hegsethincoming President Donald Trump The candidate to head the Department of Defense said in a statement that Hegseth paid money to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017 because he was afraid of losing his job at Fox News. multiple reports.

Hegseth denied the sexual assault allegation and was never charged. The lawyer said he paid the woman as part of a settlement agreement that included a confidentiality clause after she threatened to sue him in 2020. he told media outlets.

He is among Trump’s controversial candidates for high-profile positions in his second administration. Hegseth has attracted attention for her controversial views on women serving in combat and diversity in the military, her statements regarding firings of military leaders, and her lack of high-level experience in government or national security.

Worked with Hegseth, 44 Fox News from 2014 until he left after the news of his candidacy. He joined Army ROTC in college and after graduation deployed overseas with the Army National Guard, including serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

who was trump found responsible He stands by Hegseth in a civil suit filed last year against writer E Jean Carroll for sexual harassment and defamation, when it was revealed that he had been accused of sexual assault.

“Mr. Hegseth has vehemently denied all allegations and no criminal charges have been filed,” Trump transition spokesman Steven Cheung told USA TODAY last week. “We look forward to his confirmation as United States Secretary of Defense.”

City officials in Monterey, California, released a statement Thursday confirming Hegseth’s involvement in an incident. Investigation into sexual assault allegation No significant details about the incident or who the allegations were against were disclosed.

According to the police statement, the incident occurred overnight between October 7-8, 2017. The address specified in the report, Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and the Spa at Del Monte Golf Course. The statement stated that the incident was reported to the police four days later.

A woman who said she was a friend of Hegseth’s accuser recently sent a four-page memo to Trump’s transition team laying out allegations about the president-elect’s choice to lead the Pentagon.

The note was: Obtained by Washington Post And confirmed in other reportsHe said the 30-year-old woman was at the hotel with the California Federation of Republican Women, where Hegseth spoke. She was staying at the hotel with her husband and children and was responsible for getting Hegseth back to her room on time after his speech and reaching the airport on time the next day.

According to the note, the woman’s memory of the incident she claimed involved Hegseth was “fuzzy,” but the next day she “had a blurry memory of being raped the night before and having a panic attack.” He was examined in the emergency room.

“Mr. Hegseth is completely innocent,” Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told USA TODAY on Sunday.

Parlatore, who declined to provide additional details when asked why Hegseth agreed to a financial settlement, claimed that “he was cleared after a police investigation determined that the woman was the aggressor in this situation and was subsequently blackmailed.”

Kinsey Crowley contributed to this report

This article first appeared on USA TODAY: Trump defense paid money to person who accused Hegseth of assault, denies claim