Fri Jan 24 06:52:36 IST 2025: ## Hegseth Confirmed as Defense Secretary Despite $50,000 Sexual Assault Settlement
**Washington, D.C. –** President Trump’s nominee for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, was confirmed by the Senate Thursday, despite revelations that he paid $50,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017. The payment was disclosed in answers Hegseth provided to Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) during the confirmation process.
While Hegseth maintains his innocence and claims the encounter was consensual, police reports detail the woman’s allegation that he sexually assaulted her in a California hotel room, confiscated her phone, blocked the door, and prevented her from leaving. Although the Monterey County District Attorney declined to file charges in 2018 due to insufficient evidence, the police report was forwarded for review.
The confirmation vote was along party lines, with Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) voting against Hegseth. He has also faced allegations of excessive drinking and abuse towards his second wife, which he denies. Hegseth’s attorney declined to comment on the settlement amount. The news of the payment emerged on the same day as his Senate confirmation.
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