It is appalling that Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, is once again being targeted by media leaks concerning a sexual misconduct allegation that has already been investigated and found to have no merit. Despite the Monterey Police Department clearing Hegseth of any wrongdoing, the media continues to report on this baseless claim, giving it new life and using it as a weapon to undermine his nomination.
Vanity Fair published an article last week, citing sources within the Trump transition team, that suggested Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was briefed on the allegation. The report claimed that Hegseth was questioned about the matter in a meeting with Wiles and Trump’s legal team. Hegseth has consistently maintained that the encounter was consensual, and his attorney, Timothy Parlatore, reiterated that the police had already conducted an investigation and found no evidence to support the claim.
STOP THE BACKSTABBING 🐍 The letter sent to try to get Hegseth out was leaked by someone trying to destroy Trump's cabinet picks. "It doesn't matter that the letter was sent, it matters that it was sent to the transition team and not the media." @JFRadioShow pic.twitter.com/89TxirVLq3
— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) November 18, 2024
Despite the dismissal of the allegation, the media’s coverage continues to amplify the story, and now a follow-up report from The Washington Post has added further fuel to the fire. This latest leak suggests that Hegseth paid the accuser in 2023, while continuing to deny the incident occurred. These ongoing leaks raise serious questions about the motives behind them and who within the transition team is leaking this information.
It appears that someone inside the Trump transition team is intentionally sabotaging Hegseth’s nomination by reviving this unfounded claim. The fact that the media is continuing to give weight to a discredited accusation is troubling, and it points to a coordinated effort to derail a key nominee. The focus should be on Hegseth’s qualifications for the role, not on a false and resolved issue.
What a shock 🫤
…Dems leak ANOTHER "sexual something or other" story to try to discredit a great Republican appointee.
I'm so over this – I still like Hegseth…this changes nothing.
— PlainJane 🇺🇸 (@PlainJa65866722) November 17, 2024
The Trump administration must take swift action to identify the leaker and prevent further damage to Hegseth’s reputation and the transition process. This ongoing smear campaign is undermining the integrity of the nomination process, and it’s time to put an end to it.
