Trump's Pick For US Secretary Of Defence Thinks Japan & Australia Are In Southeast Asia
Bro, Australia isn't even in Asia.
By Sadho Ram — 15 Jan 2025, 04:46 PM
Incoming US President Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense appeared confused during a Senate hearing when asked about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
During the hearing, Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth asked Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, to name the importance of "at least one of the nations in ASEAN" and share his knowledge about the "type of agreement [the US has] with at least one of those nations".
Before he could respond, Duckworth added, "How many nations are in ASEAN, by the way?"
Hegseth named three. However, none of them are in ASEAN.
"I couldn't tell you the exact amount of nations in that, but I know we have allies in South Korea and Japan and ... with Australia," Hegseth responded.
Duckworth had to interrupt him to highlight just how confused he was about ASEAN.
"None of those three countries that you've mentioned are in ASEAN," she said.
ASEAN members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
Hegseth, who cleared his first hurdle towards the way to confirmation to lead the Pentagon, might want to do a little homework, as Duckworth suggested to him during the hearing.
Australia, one of the countries Hegseth claimed to be an ASEAN member, isn't even in Asia.
