特朗普提名的國防部長候選人黑格塞斯（Pete Hegseth）在周二的確認聽證會上未能說出東南亞國家聯盟（Association of Southeast Asian Nations）中任何一個國家的名字。
參議員塔米-達克沃斯（Tammy Duckworth）要求黑格塞斯談談這個政治和經濟聯盟的重要性，以表明他不具備領導五角大樓及其龐大員工隊伍的資格。
“你談到了一點印度洋-太平洋....，你能說出東盟中至少有一個國家的重要性，以及我們與其中至少一個國家簽署了什麽類型的協議嗎？順便問一下，東盟有多少個國家？
“我不能告訴你其中有多少國家，但我知道我們在韓國和日本有盟友，在澳大利亞有 AUKUS，[我們]與他們合作研製潛艇......”
“黑格塞斯先生，這些國家都不是東盟國家。你提到的這三個國家都不在東盟內，"達克沃斯回答道。“我建議你在準備這類談判之前先做一點功課。”
Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, was unable to name a single country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during his confirmation hearing Tuesday—even naming Australia instead.
Senator Tammy Duckworth asked Hegseth to speak to the importance of the political and economic alliance, in an effort to make a point of how unqualified he was to lead the Pentagon and its massive workforce.
“You talked about the Indo-Pacific a little bit.… Can you name the importance of at least one of the nations in ASEAN, and what type of agreement we have with at least one of those nations? And how many nations are in ASEAN, by the way?
“I couldn’t tell you the exact amount of nations in that, but I know we have allies in South Korea, and Japan, and in AUKUS with Australia, [we] work on submarines with them …”
“Mr. Hegseth none of those countries are in ASEAN. None of those three countries that you’ve mentioned are in ASEAN,” Duckworth replied. “I suggest you do a little homework before you prepare for these types of negotiations.”
