Trump nominee Hegseth faced investigation for sexual misconduct in 2017 but no charges were filed.

• Officials said that the Defense Department secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, who is a Fox News host, was investigated by California police for a sexual assault allegation at a hotel in 2017.
• The Monterey Police Department did not charge Hegseth during the investigation that year.
• The police report on the alleged incident in the city is not publicly accessible.

Officials said that the Defense Department secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, who is a Fox News host, was investigated by California police for a sexual assault allegation at a hotel in 2017.

The Monterey Police Department did not charge Hegseth, 44, with any offenses following the investigation that year. Hegseth maintains his innocence.

An alleged sexual assault occurred at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa, located at 1 Old Golf Course Road, between 11:59 p.m. and 7 a.m. local time on Oct. 7 and 8, 2017, and was investigated by the police.

During that time, the hotel was hosting the National Federation of Republican Women's convention.

The statement mentions the presence of "contusions on the right thigh," but does not specify whose thigh it was.

The identity and age of the accuser were not specified in the statement.

The police report on the alleged incident is not publicly accessible.

Vanity Fair first reported the alleged incident.

Last night, the police department confirmed that they fully investigated the matter and cleared Hegseth.

"Unfortunately, false allegations against public figures are not uncommon," Parlatore stated. "Despite this, he fully cooperated and did nothing wrong."

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung stated that Mr. Hegseth has vehemently denied any accusations and no charges were filed. Cheung added, "We eagerly anticipate his confirmation as the United States Secretary of Defense so he can begin working on Day One to safeguard and strengthen our nation."

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

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

From 2002 to 2021, Hegseth served as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay.

A number of Republican senators were taken aback by Trump's choice of him to succeed Mattis as the new Pentagon chief.

""I don't know Pete and I have no information about him," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said when the selection was announced Tuesday."