Trump's defence sec nominee stumped when asked to name one Asean member country

Pete Hegseth, US president-elect Donald Trump's choice to be defence secretary, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025. - AP

KUALA LUMPUR: United States president-elect Donald Trump's nominee for defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, admitted to having limited knowledge about Asean, struggling to name even one member of the bloc during his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday (Jan 14).

During the confirmation hearing, which was broadcast across major US networks, Hegseth faced intense questioning from US Senator Tammy Duckworth, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, regarding his understanding of Asean member states and their strategic significance.