Pete Hegseth to visit Capitol as details from 2017 sexual assault report emerge – live

Good morning,

The scrutiny around Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, grows as police unveiled an investigative report into the Fox News host that further detailed the sexual assault allegations surrounding him.

The 22-page report released by police dates back to 12 October 2017. It includes allegations from a woman who told police that she was sexually assaulted by Hegseth after drinking at a hotel bar in Monterey, California following a Republican women’s event where Hegseth spoke. According to the report, Hegseth assaulted the woman after he took her phone, blocked the door to a hotel room and prevented her from leaving.

The police report’s release follows recent news of “a detailed memo” on the alleged assault which a friend of the accuser sent to the Trump transition team. Hegseth has insisted the encounter was consensual but paid the woman an unknown sum after she signed a nondisclosure agreement.

Emerging details of the alleged assault come as Hegseth is set to visit Capitol Hill today. The Fox host is expected to meet with JD Vance and Republican senators ahead of his confirmation process.

Here are other developments in US politics:

• The Senate has rejected Bernie Sanders’ effort to block arms sales to Israel which the Vermont senator introduced out of concerns over the mass killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces in Gaza.

• Joe Biden is set to sign the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act today which will reauthorize the national research, surveillance and awareness program on heart disease.

• Trump is likely to choose Johns Hopkins surgeon Martin Makary – who raised concerns about various public health issues including opposing vaccine mandates – as head of the Food and Drug Administration.