Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department, told Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina that he planned to release the woman who accused him of sexual assault from a confidential settlement agreement, Mr. Graham said on Sunday.

Pete Hegseth plans to let a woman who accused him of sexual assault out of a confidentiality agreement, according to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Former Fox News star Hegseth—President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled pick to lead the Department of Defense—said during a private meeting last week that he would release the woman from the deal barring her from discussing her allegations publicly,

The Republican said he had spoken to the Pentagon nominee, and believed "his side of the story" after he was accused of sexual assault in 2017.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, promised to release the woman who accused him of sexual assault from a confidentiality agreement.

Lindsey Graham (R-SC) made clear years ago he wanted Donald Trump to pick an FBI director who was “beyond reproach.” Now, in light of Trump’s choice of Kash Patel, his words have come to haunt him. The senator was faced with his past remarks on Sunday’s Meet the Press when moderator Kristen Welker played back his 2017 comments (conveniently,