Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host who has been nominated by president-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Defense, was accused of sexual assault in 2017 in California, in an incident that has come to light in the past two days. The alleged assault was first reported by Vanity Fair on Thursday.

National Guard Master Sergeant DeRicko Gaither sent up a warning on the evening of Jan. 14, 2021 about Pete Hegseth, who on Tuesday became President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for defense secretary.

Since Jan. 6, Hegseth has minimized both the riot’s seriousness and the role of people with military training.