Who is the leaker in the Trump Transition team?
Vanity Fair on Thursday evening, citing a “transition source,” dropped a hit piece on Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee for Defense Secretary.
Citing two sources, Vanity Fair reported that Trump’s newly appointed Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, was briefed about a sexual misconduct allegation involving Pete Hegseth.
“Donald Trump’s transition team scrambled Thursday after Trump’s incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles was presented with an allegation that former Fox & Friends cohost Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee to be Defense Secretary, had engaged in sexual misconduct. According to two sources, Wiles was briefed Wednesday night about 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,” Vanity Fair reported on Thursday.
Vanity Fair then citied a “transition source” when describing a Thursday meeting Pete Hegseth had with Trump’s lawyers and Susie Wiles to discuss the alleged sexual misconduct.
“According to the transition source, the allegation is serious enough that Wiles and Trump’s lawyers spoke to Hegseth about it on Thursday. A source with knowledge of the meeting said that Hegseth said the allegation stemmed from a consensual encounter and characterized the episode as he-said, she-said.” Vanity Fair reported.
Pete Hegseth’s attorney Timothy Parlatore told Vanity Fair: “This allegation was already investigated by the Monterey police department and they found no evidence for it.”
Trump’s communications director Steven Cheung told Vanity Fair: “President Trump is nominating high-caliber and extremely qualified candidates to serve in his Administration. Mr. Hegseth has vigorously denied any and all accusations, and no charges were filed. We look forward to his confirmation as United States Secretary of Defense so he can get started on Day One to Make America Safe and Great Again.”
Later on in the hit piece, Vanity Fair citied a “senior transition source” who claimed Pete Hegseth was vetted but he sexual misconduct allegation never came up (that’s because it was already investigated).
“Ahead of the Thursday meeting, one high-level MAGA member familiar with the allegation said Hegseth wasn’t properly scrutinized before Trump made the controversial pick. “He wasn’t vetted,” the source said. But the senior transition source disputed this. “Hegseth was vetted, but this alleged incident didn’t come up.”” Vanity Fair reported.
Who is leaking to the media?
