Trump Defense pick Hegseth investigated in 2017 for alleged sex assault; no charges filed

Police in California investigated Fox News host Pete Hegseth — who was picked this week by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next Defense Department secretary — in connection with an alleged sexual assault at a hotel in 2017, officials said.

Hegseth, 44, was not charged after the probe that year by the Monterey Police Department. He denies the allegations.

A spokesperson for the city of Monterey told NBC News in a statement that police "investigated an alleged sexual assault at 1 Old Golf Course Road," the location of the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa, between 11:59 p.m. and 7 a.m. local time on Oct. 7 and 8, 2017.

The National Federation of Republican Women was holding its convention at the hotel during that time.

The statement notes there were "contusions to right thigh," but did not identify whose thigh that was.

The name and age of the alleged victim was not disclosed in the statement.

The spokesperson said the full police report on the alleged incident is exempt from public disclosure.

Vanity Fair first reported the alleged incident.

Hegseth's attorney, Timothy Parlatore told CNBC, "The police department confirmed last night that it was fully investigated and he was cleared."

"It was a false allegation ... which is, unfortunately, something that happens with public figures," Parlatore said. "He cooperated completely and he did nothing wrong."

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung, in a statement, said, "Mr. Hegseth has vigorously denied any and all accusations, and no charges were filed," Cheung said. "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."

Hegseth, who left Fox News on Tuesday, divorced his second wife in 2017, the same year he had a daughter with Jennifer Rauchet, who at the time was a Fox News producer.

Hegseth married Rauchet in 2019 at the Trump National Golf Club Colts Neck in New Jersey.

Hegseth served as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard from 2002 through 2021, during which he was deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay.

His selection by Trump to be the next Pentagon chief surprised a number of Republican senators.

"Who?" asked Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. when the selection was announced Tuesday. "I don't know Pete. I just don't know anything about him."