Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata recently raised eyebrows after it emerged that he had an affair with astrologist Amy Tripp.

Yet despite the embarrassing revelation, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is continuing to stand by his subordinate.

Tata's lawsuit accuses Tripp of attempting to extort $25,000 from him

That's according to the Daily Mail, which noted in an article published on Friday that Tata has filed a lawsuit against Tripp in Florida's Palm Beach County Circuit Court.

Tata alleges that Tripp harassed and bullied Tata along with his wife while also attempting to extort $25,000 from the couple.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to the Daily Mail that Hegseth has "complete and total confidence" in Tata.

Parnell further maintained that "Mr. Tata has done a fantastic job delivering on the priorities of this Department and this administration," adding, "We strongly stand by him."

Tripp says affair "caused me immense suffering and continues to hurt me"

Tripp, who goes by the online moniker "Starheal," responded to Tata's allegations in a social media post on Friday, writing, "I have tried to move past this but these lawsuits are not letting it end."

I have tried to move past this but these lawsuits are not letting it end. I know I have to wait until the legal process plays out, and as it does it will be clear I'm innocent of what they are accusing me of.

— starheal (@starheal) August 29, 2025

"I know I have to wait until the legal process plays out, and as it does it will be clear I'm innocent of what they are accusing me of," she declared.

"I'll be filing a response in court to these false accusations that will make it clear that none of these allegations are true," Tripp continued in a subsequent post.

"I should never have gotten into this relationship and I'm sorry I ever met this person. This has caused me immense suffering and continues to hurt me," she added.

Affair was highlighted by Democratic critic of Tata

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail noted how Tata's infidelity has been highlighted by some Democratic critics, including Pennsylvania Rep. Chrissy Houlahan.

"As a retired general, he violated the [Uniform Code of Military Justice] by having an affair with a subordinate while deployed," she wrote during Tata's confirmation hearing.

"He's also pushed racist conspiracy theories and made inflammatory, Islamophobic comments," the congresswoman asserted.