Accused of Sexual Assault: Pete Hegseth appointed US Defense Secretary
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the US Senate approved the appointment of Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary in President Donald Trump’s administration by a narrow margin.
The approval came despite opposition from the Democrats who decried the Trump nominee as “unqualified,” and three Republican senators. The vote ended in a 50-50 tie, the smallest margin for a defense secretary’s confirmation since the position was established in 1947, according to Senate records. However, Vice President JD Vance stepped in to break the deadlock and cast the deciding vote in favor of Hegseth's appointment.
Hegseth’s selection by Trump was “complicated by a claim of sexual assault and accusations of abusive behavior, public drunkenness and fiscal mismanagement of two nonprofit veterans groups,” according to The New York Times.
In a related development, the newly appointed Defense Secretary admitted on Friday to paying $50,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, clarifying that the encounter was “consensual” after previously stating last week that he had been “falsely accused.”
Who is Pete Hegseth?
Hegseth is a prominent figure in both American media and the military. He graduated from Princeton University and earned a graduate degree from Harvard University. He served in the US military, with tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and received two Bronze Stars along with the Combat Infantryman Badge.
He worked as a program host at Fox News for eight years, co-hosting the show Fox & Friends. During this time, a friendship developed between him and Trump, who frequently appeared as a guest on the program.
The new Defense Secretary authored the book The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free, which achieved significant success, remaining on the New York Times Best Sellers list for nine weeks, including two weeks at number one. He has also led several non-profit organizations and, in 2012, made a brief run for a seat in the US Senate, representing Minnesota.
