Pete Hegseth may release sexual assault accuser from confidentiality agreement, setting up public showdown

Graham, R-S.C., told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Hegseth "told me he would release her from that agreement," adding, "I'd want to know if anybody nominated for a high-level job in Washington legitimately assaulted somebody."

Graham has said he will not take allegations from an anonymous source into consideration for Hegseth's confirmation. 

"However, if people have an allegation to make, come forward and make it like they did in Kavanaugh," he added, referring to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. "We'll decide whether or not it's credible."

Hegseth was not charged in the incident and insists the interaction was consensual, and the charge stemmed from a woman who regretted cheating on her husband.

Police recommended the case report be forwarded to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office for review, but no charges were filed. 

At the time of the alleged assault, Hegseth, 44, was going through a divorce from his second wife, with whom he shares three children. She filed for divorce after he had a child with another woman, according to court records and social media posts.

A payment was made to the woman, according to Hegseth's attorney, as part of a confidentiality agreement because Hegseth feared the woman was preparing to file a lawsuit that could have cost him his job as a co-host on "Fox & Friends." 

Earlier this month, Hegseth's attorney, Tim Parlatore, told CNN they had considered suing the woman for civil extortion before settling with a confidentiality agreement. 

It is not yet clear whether the allegations may stand in the way of Hegseth's confirmation. Republicans will have a 53-47 majority in the next Senate, and there is only room for Trump nominees to lose a few GOP votes, assuming no Democrats choose to back them. 

Hegseth met with both of them last week on Capitol Hill. According to Collins, "I had a good, substantive discussion that lasted more than an hour."

"We covered a wide range of topics ranging from defense procurement reforms to the role of women in the military, sexual assault in the military. Ukraine, NATO, a wide range of issues. I obviously always wait until we have an FBI background check and one is underway in the case of Mr. Hegseth, and I wait to see the committee hearing before reaching a final decision."

Fox News' Julia Johnson and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.