Pete Hegseth appears to have no clue was ASEAN is
ASEAN is arguably the most important political and economic partnership in the Indo-Pacific

Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth was unable to name a single country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday.
Democratic Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth asked Hegseth how many counties are in ASEAN and if he could explain the importance of at least one of them.
“I couldn’t tell you the exact amount of nations in that,” Hegseth said. “But I know we have allies in South Korea, and Japan, and in AUKUS in Australia.”
“None of those countries are in ASEAN,” Duckworth responded.
ASEAN is a political and economic partnership of 10 nations bordering or near the South China Sea. Its member states include Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines.
The South China Sea plays a crucial role in global commerce and security. In 2016, $3.4 trillion in goods passed through the region, accounting for about 21% of global trade.
There are ongoing disputes about national borders within the South China Sea. China claims to control almost the entire area, a position challenged by ASEAN, Japan, and the United States. In recent years, China has intensified efforts to dominate the region through economic pressure and military provocations.
On Jan. 14, the same day of Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, Japan Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said he is “gravely concerned” about escalating tensions in the region.
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense on Nov. 13. Since then, Hegseth has been under fire for his lack of qualifications. Hegseth was a captain in the Minnesota National Guard and served in Afghanistan. He has been a Fox News contributor since 2014.
Hegseth also ran two separate veterans organizations, both of which were plagued by financial mismanagement and claims of rampant sexual harassment.
A spokesperson for the Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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