Trump transition group ‘quietly’ alternate options to Pete Hegseth after he ‘wasn’t sincere’ about previous | EUROtoday

Donald Trump’s transition group is alleged to be “upset” with Pete Hegseth as a result of he “hasn’t been honest” concerning the sexual misconduct allegation from his previous – prompting insiders to contemplate different choices to steer the Pentagon.

Hegseth was tapped final week to change into Trump’s protection secretary however now these within the president-elect’s inside circle are “quietly preparing a list of alternative” candidates, Vanity Fair reported.

“It’s becoming a real possibility,” a supply instructed the outlet’s particular correspondent Gabriel Sherman.

The supply stated that the Trump group was taken abruptly after a critical sexual assault allegation towards Hegseth got here to gentle, which led Trump’s incoming chief of employees Susie Wiles to query the previous Fox News host on a name final week. Hegseth was by no means charged with against the law and denies the allegations.

“People are upset about the distraction. The general feeling is Pete hasn’t been honest,” a second supply instructed Vanity Fair.

A “prominent Republican” near the Trump transition group instructed the outlet that some are additionally sad with the president-elect’s alternative attributable to Hegseth’s lack of {qualifications} to steer the nation’s protection.

“There are Republicans with a background in the Defense Department who are privately saying, ‘I’m not working for this guy,’” the supply stated.

Despite the uncertainty inside the transition group, the president-elect is alleged to be standing by Hegseth for now.

Police investigated Hegseth for alleged sexual misconduct in Monterey, California in 2017. The Washington Post reported on the weekend that Hegseth paid the girl who accused him of sexual assault as a part of a non-disclosure settlement. Despite the cost, he has maintained the encounter was consensual.

The Postciting an announcement from Hegseth’s lawyer Timothy Parlatore, reported that Hegseth was “visibly intoxicated” when he encountered a girl in Monterey seven years in the past. Parlatore stated on this assertion that the girl contacted the police, and so they concluded, “the Complainant had been the aggressor in the encounter.” However, Monterey police didn’t affirm this to the Post.

Hegseth later agreed to pay the girl as a part of an NDA as a result of he was involved he’d be fired by Fox News, the Post reported. The NDA and cost got here after she threatened to litigate additional in 2020, the Post reported, citing Hegseth’s lawyer.

The Post additionally obtained a memo which was written by an unnamed particular person — who claims to be a good friend of the accuser — and despatched to Trump’s presidential transition group. That memo claimed Hegseth raped a 30-year-old conservative group staffer in a lodge room in Monterey in 2017, the Post reported. Police investigated the incident however Hegseth by no means confronted prices, the memo stated.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung instructed the Post that Hegseth “vigorously denies” all wrongdoing.

“President Trump is nominating high-caliber and extremely qualified candidates to serve in his Administration,” Cheung stated. “Mr. Hegseth has vigorously denied any and all accusations, and no charges were filed. 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.”

Meanwhile, the previous Fox News host’s lawyer instructed the Post that “Hegseth strongly felt that he was the victim of blackmail and innocent collateral damage in a lie that the Complainant was holding onto to keep her marriage intact.”

The controversy surrounding Hegseth comes as Trump additionally faces an uphill climb to verify Matt Gaetz as his lawyer basic as he’s additionally preventing critical sexual allegations, which he denies.

Donald Trump Jr, who helps with transition efforts, has steered that his father has “backup plans” if his cupboard picks aren’t confirmed by the Senate.

“Listen, there’s always ideas,” Don Jr instructed Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday. “We have lists of people. We’re not just randomly picking a name out of a hat. We’re showing him lists of 10 to 12 people for every position. So we do have backup plans.”

“We are obviously going with the strongest candidates first,” he continued. “Some of them are going to be controversial. They are controversial because they’ll actually get things done.”