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Pete Hegseth, Fox News host and Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, revealed to the Senate Armed Services Committee that he paid $50,000 to settle a sexual assault allegation.
The payment was part of a non-disclosure agreement with a woman who accused him of a 2017 assault in Monterey, California. Hegseth, who has denied the allegations, described them as a “nuisance claim” intended to damage his career, as reported by CNN.
“As we said from the beginning, these were false claims that we settled for nuisance value, much less than it would have cost to defend,” his attorney Tim Parlatore stated per CNN.
The settlement amount, first reported by The Associated Press, was previously undisclosed.
Hegseth’s admission came during questioning by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and sparked renewed scrutiny of his nomination, which narrowly advanced in a 51-49 procedural vote. Notably, Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins opposed his confirmation, citing concerns over his character and qualifications.
