Trump's Defense Secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, faces scrutiny as newly revealed text messages shed light on events surrounding a 2017 sexual assault allegation.
According to Daily Mail, text messages obtained from the accuser, identified only as Jane Doe, show she expressed concerns about Hegseth's behavior hours before the alleged assault at a California Republican convention.
The messages, sent to a male associate during the California Federation of Republican Women's 40th Biennial convention, reveal the accuser's discomfort with Hegseth's presence. She specifically mentioned being disturbed by his wearing a ring on his pointer finger and described him as a "tool" in messages sent around 2 AM on October 7, 2017.
The 23-page Monterey Police Department report documents the incident that occurred at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey.
The accuser attended a banquet followed by an afterparty in the Presidential Suite, where she consumed champagne. She later went to Knuckles Sports Bar with a group of women, where she reported having consumed more alcohol than usual.
The accuser told police, as documented in their report:
Hegseth would rub the women on their legs and Jane Doe thought that his actions were inappropriate. Jane Doe texted...that Hegseth was given off a 'creeper' vibe. The women thought Hegseth was 'dreamy' and wanted pictures with Hegseth.
According to the police report, the accuser claimed Hegseth exhibited inappropriate behavior toward several women at the bar. One witness reported rebuffing Hegseth's advances and described using the accuser as a "crotch blocker" to deter his attempts at sexual interaction.
The woman reported the incident at Kaiser Permanente Hospital, requesting a sexual assault examination. While Hegseth acknowledged the sexual encounter, he maintained it was consensual and claimed he repeatedly asked if she was "okay" during their interaction.
At the time of the incident, Hegseth had recently divorced his second wife, Samantha, and had a two-month-old daughter with Jennifer Rauchet, a Fox & Friends executive producer. This personal context adds another layer to the complicated situation.
The Monterey County Attorney's Office received the case for review, but no charges were ultimately filed. However, Hegseth reportedly paid the accuser to prevent a lawsuit, fearing job loss at Fox News.
The sexual assault allegations have emerged as a significant challenge to Hegseth's nomination for Defense Secretary. His lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, has defended him by characterizing the accuser as the "aggressor" and describing the situation as "successful extortion."
The revelations come at a crucial time as President Trump's administration faces increased scrutiny over cabinet nominations. The incident, which occurred seven years ago, has resurfaced to potentially impact Hegseth's confirmation prospects.
These developments have placed both the Trump administration and Hegseth in a delicate position as they navigate the confirmation process amid these serious allegations.
