New negative revelations about Hegseth surface ahead of tight confirmation vote
New negative revelations about Hegseth surface ahead of tight confirmation vote
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Hegseth told a senator he paid $50,000 to woman who accused him of sexual assault, and his second wife is bound by non-disparagement divorce agreement. Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth heads into a tight confirmation vote Friday to become the nation’s defense secretary amid more negative revelations about his relationship with women.
![[Trump Inauguration Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, right, takes a photo with members of the military at the Commander in Chief Ball, Monday]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/21/05/Trump_Inauguration_02123.jpg)
The clause raises the possibility of a hidden history which could impact decisions about Hegseth’s fitness for a position at the top of the Defense Department. The ex sister-in-law of Hegseth’s former wife, Samantha, submitted a sworn affidavit Tuesday to the Senate Armed Services Committee, saying that Hegseth was physically abusive in his marriage to Samantha.
Samantha Hegseth has denied the physical abuse allegations by Danielle Hegseth, who was married to the Fox News host’s brother. But Samathan Hegseth, who is bound by the non-disparagement agreement, has not denied allegations that she feared for her safety or that she had a code word to send when she felt threatened.
Pete Hegseth has denied all the accusations. That news followed another revelation Thursday that Hegseth paid a substantial $50,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, another accusation he has denied. He revealed the amount to a senator during his confirmation process.
Hegseth told lawmakers during the confirmation hearings that he had consensual sex with the woman and was “falsely accused” of assault. But he paid the woman as part of a nondisclosure agreement. He revealed the $50,000 payment to senator as part of the confirmation process.
