Lindsey Graham says Hegseth will release accuser from confidentiality agreement

Published December 16, 2024 11:33am ET



On Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, will release his sexual abuse accuser from their confidentiality agreement ahead of Senate confirmation hearings.

Hegseth, a veteran and former Fox News weekend anchor, is facing an uphill battle in his confirmation process as allegations have emerged regarding his workplace behavior, drinking habits, and treatment of women, including a sexual assault allegation from 2017. The accuser in question cannot publicly speak as she is under a confidentiality agreement, but Graham told NBC’s Meet the Press that Hegseth pledged to “release her from that agreement.”

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