A California woman has levied serious accusations against Pete Hegseth, who was recently tapped by President-elect Trump for the position of defense secretary, claiming she was sexually assaulted by him during a GOP event in 2017.
The Hill reported that in 2017, during a Republican event at a hotel in Monterey, Pete Hegseth was accused of sexually assaulting an event organizer, triggering an investigation that led to no charges against Hegseth as it became apparent that he was the victim.
The alleged incident took place between October 7 and October 8, 2017, at the Hyatt Hotel in Monterey, during a gathering organized by the California Federation of Republican Women.
The accuser, identified only as Jane Doe, was one of the event organizers who apparently took advantage of a drunk Gaetz and was almost charged by local police after they investigated the case.
According to Jane Doe, the night is largely a blur, believed to be due to being involuntarily drugged. She reported waking up feeling disoriented in an unfamiliar hotel room with Hegseth standing over her.
The allegations detail a disturbing scene where Hegseth was reportedly blocking the door, eventually leading to him standing naked over her and ejaculating.
Jane Doe’s dilemma continued as she sought medical help five days later at Kaiser Permanente, where she reported her suspicions of being drugged and provided details of her traumatic experience.
This case lay quiet until Hegseth was nominated as the next defense secretary following the November 2024 election, which brought new attention to the allegations. Subsequently, the police disclosed details of their ongoing investigation inspired by a public records request.
Adding complexity to the case, video evidence obtained by the police showed Doe and Hegseth together the night of the alleged assault.
They appeared to walk arm-in-arm near the hotel pool after a heated argument, later returning to the bar area together. This was the last visual confirmation of their interactions that night.
Hegseth countered the allegations by claiming that it was Jane Doe who led him to his hotel room following their time at the bar. His statements to the police categorically denied any wrongdoing. Hegseth mentioned that Doe expressed regret following the encounter, suggesting her guilt stemmed from cheating on her husband.
Further muddying the waters, Hegseth's attorney stated in 2023 that the payment to Jane Doe was merely to prevent a lawsuit she threatened as blackmail, emphasizing Hegseth’s innocence.
Despite the serious nature of the accusations and the differing narratives, the police concluded their investigation without filing charges. A spokesperson from the Trump transition team stated that the allegations had been investigated fully, determined to be false, and resulted in no charges.
The allegations against Hegseth come at a time when several of Trump's cabinet picks are under intense scrutiny as Democrats seek any means to block Trump's loyalists.
Their insistence on digging up these allegations has only spotlighted the blind spot in our justice system that allows women to take advantage of men and make life-ruining false accusations without facing consequences.