Trump’s nominee for defense secretary paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault for her silence

US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegsethpaid a woman in exchange for her silence about a case in which she accused him of sexual assault in 2017, during a conservative convention, according to what his team of lawyers confessed to the newspaper Washington Post.

However, the lawyers maintain in a statement to the newspaper that there was no sexual assault and that their relationship was consensual, and they explain the payment because if she had continued with the complaint, that would have cost Hegseth, then a well-known commentator, his job. in the chain Fox TV.

Last Friday the Police Department Monterey confirmed that Hegseth was indeed investigated in 2017 for a possible case of sexual assault in a hotel in the Californian city where a meeting of Republican women was being held, but that information was closed without knowing the reasons.

When three years later the woman threatened to report the case again, Hegseth then reached a conclusion. confidentiality agreement so that she would withdraw the complaint in exchange for a sum of money, as they reported at the time. post the team of lawyers, who have not revealed the name of the woman or the amount that was paid.

But another source supports the version of sexual assault: a woman who claims to be a friend of the victim sent a letter this week – to which the post had access – to the Trump transition team in which she points out in abundant detail that her friend, who was 30 years old at the time and belonged to a group of conservative activistswas raped by Hegseth in the latter’s room. The friend accompanied her in that forum and knew her from 15 years ago.

So far, Trump maintains his support for Hegseth and maintains his innocence, according to one of the spokespersons for the transition team, Steven Cheung, this week: “President Trump is appointing high-level and extremely competent candidates. Mr. Hegseth has each and every accusation was categorically denied, and no complaints were filed.

Hegseth is the second nominee of the future president to face sexual accusations. Matt Gaetz, controversial candidate for attorney general, was accused of sex trafficking of a minor and investigated for it by the House Ethics Committee, as well as for drug use.