The Wall Street Journal's editorial board questioned Pete Hegseth, the Fox News personality President-elect Trump nominated for secretary of defense, over sexual assault allegations in a new op-ed published Tuesday.
Journal editorial board proposed When the Senate holds confirmation hearings for Mr. Hegseth to become Pentagon chief, questions may be asked about what he withheld from the Trump transition team during his scrutiny.
“Anyone who leads the Pentagon must have the president's trust. If Mr. Trump was not informed of this political responsibility before announcing his nomination, I wonder what else Mr. Hegseth will tell us. It is natural to wonder whether this is the case,” the board wrote.
Monterey police confirmed last week that they investigated an “alleged sexual assault” involving Hegseth in 2017. Susie Wiles, Trump's incoming chief of staff, said she spoke with Hegseth about the charges and said they arose from a consensual encounter.
Hegseth's nomination to the Pentagon was surprising given his relative lack of experience. He was an infantry officer in the Army National Guard and later served as a host on Fox News' “Fox & Friends.”
Hegseth's lawyer maintained that he was “totally innocent” and had in fact been threatened by the woman in the case.
The magazine's board noted that what happened seven years ago “may be impossible to prove or disprove” because the claims on both sides differ.
“However, even giving Mr. Hegseth the benefit of the doubt raises questions of judgment, including whether Mr. Hegseth warned the next president that this could come to light,” they wrote. There is.
The newspaper cited a spokesperson for President Trump as saying that he looked forward to confirming Hegseth to the department, but said the board “may also withdraw an impulsive nomination.” I left it open.
The Hill has reached out to Trump's transition team for comment.
