Overview

• Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, faces allegations of sexual assault from 2017, which he denies, but has released the accuser from a confidentiality agreement to allow her to speak publicly.
• Senate Republicans anticipate a bruising confirmation process reminiscent of Brett Kavanaugh's 2018 Supreme Court hearings, with some senators expressing concerns about the political fallout.
• Hegseth has previously spread debunked conspiracy theories about the January 6 Capitol attack, claiming it was instigated by leftist groups disguised as Trump supporters, despite FBI findings to the contrary.
• He has also faced criticism for controversial past statements opposing women in combat roles, supporting waterboarding, and linking LGBTQ+ inclusion in the military to a 'Marxist agenda,' though he has recently softened some of these positions.
• The Armed Services Committee is deliberating whether to call Hegseth's accuser to testify, while Senate Democrats are reviewing a 2017 police report detailing her allegations.