Pete Hegseth Paid Sexual Assault Accuser Settlement, Denies Assault

President-elect Trump tapped Fox News (Right bias) anchor and veteran Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense last week. An accusation of assault, some say, could put his confirmation in question.

The Accusation: Hegseth was accused of sexual assault in October 2017; he has denied the accusation. Knowing it could cost him his job, he entered a mutual nondisclosure agreement in 2023, paying the accuser an unknown sum. "The revelations reportedly first came to light when a woman who said she was friends with the accuser and was 'present and involved' in the case sent a four-page memo detailing the allegation to Trump’s transition team Wednesday," Forbes (Center bias) said. The Monterey police said they investigated the incident but did not file charges. "Hegseth strongly felt that he was the victim of blackmail," his lawyer said. 

Hegseth's Tattoos: Hegseth's tattoos have also stirred controversy. The Associated Press (Lean Left) said he "was flagged as a possible 'Insider Threat' by a fellow service member due to a tattoo on his bicep that’s associated with white supremacist groups." The tattoo says Deus Vult, Latin for “God wills it.” The New York Post (Lean Right) said the phrase and Jerusalem Cross tattoo on his chest were considered common Christian symbology by some. Hegseth and Vice President-elect Vance called the white supremacy claims anti-Christian bigotry. 

How the Media Covered It: Media on the right was more likely to lead with Hegseth's denial of the assault accusation and his tattoos, while media on the left often led with the fact that he paid his accuser.