Pete Hegseth, the candidate for defense secretary by President-elect Donald Trump, allegedly paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault in order to avoid the possibility of a lawsuit that was without foundation.

According to a statement that was issued by the mayor of Monterey, California, Hegseth was accused of sexual assault in the year 2017, following his attendance as a speaker at a Republican women's event in Monterey. There was no filing of charges, as The New York Post reported.

In an interview with reporters on Sunday, his attorney, Timothy Parlatore, stated that the sexual encounter was voluntary and that the woman who reported the incident to the authorities several days later was the "aggressor."

The statement that was issued by the city does not, in fact, provide any confirmation of that assertion.

From the Accused

According to Parlatore, Hegseth was concerned that the woman was preparing to file a lawsuit, which he feared could have resulted in his termination from Fox News, where he was a popular presenter.

Therefore, a payment was made to her as part of a confidential settlement a few years after the police investigation. The payment's amount was not disclosed.

“He was falsely accused and my position is that he was the victim of blackmail,” Parlatore said, calling it a case of “successful extortion.”

Information about the payment had already been disclosed in The Washington Post. Additionally, the newspaper got a copy of a statement that was given to Trump's transition team last week by a woman who claimed to be the accuser's acquaintance; the memo recounts the sexual assault claims.

Claim Details

The city said the victim, who did not want their identity disclosed, suffered from bruising on their right thigh after reporting the incident. Reports indicate that no weapons were used during the incident.

According to the city's statement, the incident took place between 7 a.m. on October 7 and 11:59 p.m. on October 7.

As per promotional materials and social media posts from the period, Hegseth was in Monterey to give a speech at the California Federation of Republican Women's biennial convention banquet supper.

Previous Marriage

Hegseth, who is now 44 years old, was going through the process of being divorced from his second wife, with whom he shares custody of three children, when the allegations were made in 2017.

Hegseth's social media posts and court documents indicate that she filed for divorce after he had a child with a Fox News producer who is now his wife.

She did this immediately after the child was born. According to court documents, his previous marriage ended in 2009.

From the Trump Camp

Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump transition who has been appointed as the communications director for the White House, made a statement after the allegations.

Following the explosion of the allegaitons, Cheung said in a statement that the president-elect is "nominating high-caliber and extremely qualified candidates to serve in his Administration."

“Mr. Hegseth has vigorously denied any and all accusations, and no charges were filed. We look forward to his confirmation as United States Secretary of Defense so he can get started on Day One to Make America Safe and Great Again,” Cheung said.