President-elect Donald Trump's defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, is under scrutiny after it was revealed that he paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault in a settlement agreement that included a confidentiality clause. Hegseth's attorney has stated that he denies the assault allegations and describes the incident as a 'consensual sexual encounter' that took place in October 2017 in Monterey, California.
Monterey city officials confirmed that local police had investigated the alleged sexual assault involving Hegseth, but details remain limited due to confidentiality laws. Hegseth has not faced any criminal charges or civil lawsuits related to the incident.
