Pete Hegseth controversy explained: What to know amid backlash to Trump's Defense pick

President-elect Donald Trump is considering dropping his pick for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, USA TODAY reported Wednesday.

After Trump named Hegseth as a Cabinet nominee, allegations from Hegseth's past resurfaced and have left some wondering whether the controversy will thwart his Senate confirmation. Trump's former attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz already dropped out of consideration after concerns he would not gain enough support to be confirmed amid allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor.

But why might Hegseth reach a similar fate? Here is what to know about the controversy surrounding his nomination:

More: Pete Hegseth's mother discusses angry email: 'He's redeemed, forgiven, changed'

Who is Pete Hegseth, Defense secretary nominee?

Trump raised eyebrows when he named Hegseth as his Defense secretary pick, as he broke the tradition of filling the position with Pentagon chiefs with long resumes in government.

Hegseth, 44, worked with Fox News from 2014 until he left following the news of his nomination. Hegseth joined the Army ROTC in college and was deployed overseas with the Army National Guard after graduating, according to a 2022 article in Reserve + National Guard Magazine.

Hegseth's agenda for running the Pentagon appears to be stopping women from serving in combat roles, firing generals who promote "woke" military policies and easing restrictions on troops' conduct in war.

The Defense secretary position requires Senate confirmation. Hegseth has scheduled meetings with Senate Republicans ahead of confirmation hearings.

Pete Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault, no charges filed

In 2017, Hegseth was involved in a sexual encounter which he said was consensual but was later reported to the police as a sexual assault.

Police in Monterey, California said they investigated an incident occurring between Oct. 7-8, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course.

Hegseth was at the hotel to speak at the California Federation of Republican Women convention, USA TODAY previously reported.

The alleged victim was a staffer of the organization and had texted her husband about her dislike for Hegseth, saying he gave off "creeper" vibes, as USA TODAY previously reported. Hotel footage showed them in a verbal altercation at the pool area before she led Hegseth towards his room. She later told police she didn't know how she ended up in Hegseth's room, but she remembered he blocked the door and took her phone, she told police. Hegseth told police at the time he was "buzzed" but not drunk, though his lawyer recently claimed he was "visibly intoxicated" and the woman was the “the aggressor in the encounter.”

Hegseth was never charged, but he said in a statement that he paid the woman a settlement on the condition of confidentiality out of fear of losing his job at Fox News when she threatened litigation in 2020, according to multiple reports.

Reports of misconduct at former veterans' organizations

Hegseth formerly led a veterans' charity organization that he was allegedly ousted from over allegations of misconduct, according to media reports.

On Sunday, The New Yorker reported that Hegseth was forced to resign from at least one nonprofit group he ran before becoming a Fox News anchor. The magazine surfaced a whistle-blower report about Hegseth's tenure as the president of the Concerned Veterans for America nonprofit. The report alleged he was frequently intoxicated on the job and contributed to a hostile workplace due to sexual misconduct.

CBS News also reported that there was a concerted effort to remove Hegseth as the head of the Concerned Veterans for America nonprofit due to complaints over intoxication and poor leadership.

Hegseth's lawyer Timothy Parlatore told USA TODAY these claims are "totally false" and have been "thoroughly investigated and debunked."

USA TODAY has reached out to CVA representatives for more information.

Contributing: Riley Beggin, Tom Vanden Brook, Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Victor Hagan, Zac Anderson

Kinsey Crowley is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected], and follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pete Hegseth controversy, explained: What to know about Trump's pick