Trump’s defence pick Pete Hegseth fails Asean test, sparking mockery across Southeast Asia

Pete Hegseth, nominated for US Secretary of Defence, could not name a single member of the regional bloc during his confirmation hearing

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Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth speaks during a Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on January 14, 2025. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:05pm, 15 Jan 2025Updated: 10:48am, 17 Jan 2025

Southeast Asians reacted with a mix of laughter, dismay and disbelief at a viral clip of US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defence failing to name a single member of the Asean bloc when asked about the alliance in a confirmation hearing at US Congress.

Pete Hegseth, a veteran of the Army National Guard and a Fox News host with no diplomatic or administrative experience, was asked how many countries are in Asean – the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – and to name a member nation.

“I could not tell you the exact amount of nations in that, but I know we have allies in South Korea, in Japan, and in AUKUS, in Australia where we are trying to work on submarines with them,” he replied to Senator Tammy Duckworth’s question.

In the clip, a visibly dismayed Duckworth, who was born in Bangkok to a Thai mother and American father, sighed and said “none of those countries are in Asean. I suggest you do a little homework.”

Asean represents more than 650 million people and is cumulatively the world’s fifth-largest economy.

The gaffe quickly spread across social media in Southeast Asia, including in Malaysia, this year’s Asean chair.