Donald TrumpTrump’s transition team scrambled Thursday after Trump’s new chief of staff Susie Wiles was confronted with an allegation that the former Fox and friends co-host Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense had engaged in sexual misconduct. According to two sources, Wiles was informed Wednesday evening of an allegation that Hegseth had acted inappropriately with a woman. One of the sources said the alleged incident took place in Monterey, California in 2017.

According to the transition source, the allegation is serious enough that lawyers for Wiles and Trump spoke to Hegseth about it on Thursday. A source with knowledge of the meeting said Hegseth said the allegation stemmed from a consensual encounter and characterized the episode as he said, she said.

Thursday evening, Hegseth’s lawyer Timothy Parlatore said, “This allegation was previously investigated by the Monterey Police Department and they found no evidence to support it. »

Trump’s communications director Steven Cheung said: “President Trump is nominating high-caliber and extremely qualified nominees to serve in his administration. Mr. Hegseth has vigorously denied all accusations, and no charges have been filed. We look forward to his confirmation as United States Secretary of Defense so that he can start on day one to make America safe and great again. »

Before Thursday’s meeting, a high-ranking MAGA member familiar with the allegation said Hegseth had not been properly vetted before Trump made the controversial choice. “It hasn’t been vetted,” the source said. But the transition’s main source disputed that claim. “Hegseth was examined, but this alleged incident did not take place.”

Trump shocked the political and military world on November 12 by appointing Hegseth to oversee the Pentagon. Hegseth likely already faces a rocky road to Senate confirmation. The 44-year-old cable news personality and Army veteran has a history to make inflammatory statements. Hegseth once called liberals the “enemies within” who want “black trans-lesbian women to run everything!” » In 2018, when he was potentially appointed to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, it was reported that he began an affair and had a child with a Fox producer while still married to his second wife. He later married the producer.

A Hegseth ally blamed the emergence of the sexual misconduct allegation on members of the Republican establishment trying to thwart Hegseth’s nomination. “They’re going to try to kill all these nominees before the confirmation vote,” the ally said.