### Pete Hegseth Faces Scrutiny Over 2017 Allegations Following Nomination as Defense Secretary

Pete Hegseth, recently nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Department of Defense, is under renewed scrutiny following the release of details regarding a 2017 allegation of sexual assault. The incident, first reported by Mediaite, involves a woman's claims of assault at a Monterey, California hotel. Hegseth denies the allegations, and no criminal charges were filed.

Hegseth's attorney disclosed to The Washington Post that the woman received a confidential settlement in 2020, which came after her threat to file a civil lawsuit. According to his attorney, Hegseth was worried that the allegations could negatively impact his career at Fox News. A representative from Fox News mentioned last week that the network had no prior knowledge of the incident or its subsequent settlement.

The case stems from events at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel during a Republican women's conference. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in the police report, sought a sexual assault examination days after her encounter with Hegseth. She claimed that her drink may have been tampered with, as she had difficulty remembering much of that night.

According to the report, Jane Doe and Hegseth both attended an after-party in the hotel’s President's suite, during which she consumed a small amount of champagne. Her memories became hazy after moving to a sports bar attached to the hotel, where Hegseth was also present. She recalled Hegseth behaving inappropriately with other women at the conference.

Jane Doe's fragmented memories included an argument near the pool area and a subsequent interaction in an unknown room where she alleged Hegseth blocked the door and advanced on her despite her saying “no” repeatedly. She recalled his dog tags hovering over her face and him ejaculating on her stomach before throwing a towel at her.

Hegseth acknowledged to police that both he and Jane Doe were "buzzed" but maintained that their interaction was consensual. He stated that he provided her with a towel to clean up after their encounter, and she then dressed and left. Hegseth claimed that Jane Doe showed signs of regret and expressed concern about explaining her absence to her husband.

A spokesperson for Trump’s transition team commented that the report supported Hegseth’s version of events, noting that police did not file charges due to reportedly finding the allegations unfounded. However, the police report, forwarded to the Monterey County District Attorney, does not indicate that the allegations were deemed false, only that no charges were pursued.

The rising scrutiny will likely follow Hegseth as he navigates his recent nomination and the public eye watches closely.