"This is basic, 101 stuff for someone who wants to be secretary of defense, and he couldn't answer any of them."

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, was questioned about ASEAN during a heated Senate confirmation and struggled with his response.

Donald Trump’s controversial nominee could soon be confirmed by Republicans to lead the Department of Defense.

During his confirmation hearing, Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee couldn’t name a single member of the Southeast Asian bloc.

In a heated Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, Sen. Tammy Duckworth grilled the proposed defense secretary over the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, asking him if he could name one member and how many countries were in the bloc.

During the confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Secretary of Defense, Sen. Tammy Duckworth asked the nominee for factual details about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including its membership and the U.S.'s relationship with member countries.

Tammy Duckworth, grilling President-elect Donald ... Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. An 11th country, East Timor, is set to join soon. Established in 1967, its goal ...

Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill ... Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.) “The man is absolutely clueless,” Duckworth assesses bluntly to Rolling Stone. A woman and a combat ...

Tammy Duckworth, grilling President-elect Donald ... Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. An 11th country, East Timor, is set to join soon. Established in 1967, its goal ...

Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a member of the committee ... Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.) “The man is absolutely clueless,” Duckworth assesses bluntly to Rolling Stone. A woman and a combat veteran who lost ...

Hegseth responded at the heated Senate confirmation hearing that he couldn’t tell Duckworth the exact number of ASEAN nations, but that “I know we have allies in South Korea and Japan in AUKUS (a pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S.) with Australia.”

It is no surprise that a top member of the Trump administration, like Hegseth, faces concerns, as there have been worries that the boss himself may not be keen on Southeast Asia.