Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary, is facing scrutiny over sexual assault allegations. Senator Lindsey Graham revealed on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Hegseth intends to release his accuser from the confidentiality agreement she signed. Graham emphasized the importance of investigating such claims for any high-level nominee, stating, "I’d want to know if anybody nominated for a high-level job in Washington legitimately assaulted somebody." He also clarified that he would not consider allegations from anonymous sources.

The situation draws parallels to Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings, where Christine Ford testified about her accusations against him. Graham stated that the Pete Hegseth he knows hasn't exhibited such behavior and encouraged anyone with allegations to come forward, just as in the Kavanaugh case. He added, "We’ll decide whether or not it’s credible."

The allegation stems from a 2017 incident in a Monterey, California hotel room. Hegseth denies the assault, claiming the encounter was consensual and the accusation arose from a woman regretting infidelity. While police recommended the case to the District Attorney, no charges were filed.

At the time, Hegseth was divorcing his second wife after having a child with another woman. According to Hegseth's attorney, a payment was made to the accuser as part of a confidentiality agreement, driven by concerns that a lawsuit could jeopardize Hegseth's role on "Fox & Friends." The attorney also mentioned considering suing the woman for extortion before settling.

The allegations' impact on Hegseth's confirmation remains uncertain. With a slim Republican majority in the Senate, the loss of even a few GOP votes could be detrimental. Currently, Hegseth seems to retain Republican support, including from moderates like Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, both of whom he met with. Collins described a productive hour-long discussion covering various defense-related topics. Senator Joni Ernst, initially hesitant after a first meeting, expressed support for a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous claims, following a second meeting with Hegseth.