During Tuesday's heated Senate confirmation hearing, Senator Tammy Duckworth grilled for Pete Hegseth over the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
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00:00Could you repeat the question, Senator?
00:01Sure.
00:02What is the highest level of international security agreement that you have led, and
00:08can you name some that the Secretary of Defense would lead?
00:11There's three main ones.
00:12Do you know?
00:13I have not been involved in international security arrangements because I have not been
00:16in government other than serving in the military.
00:19So my job has been to lead men and women in combat.
00:20So no, the answer is no.
00:21Can you name one of the three main ones that the Secretary of Defense signs?
00:23You're talking about defense arrangements?
00:24I mean, NATO might be one that you're referring to.
00:28Status of forces agreement would be one of them.
00:31Status of forces agreement.
00:32I've been a part of teaching about status of forces agreements inside Afghanistan.
00:35But you don't remember to mention it?
00:38You're not qualified, Mr. Hexeth.
00:41You're not qualified.
00:42You talk about repairing our defense industrial complex.
00:45You're not qualified to do that.
00:46You could do the acquisition and cross-servicing agreements, which essentially are security
00:49agreements.
00:50You can't even mention that.
00:51You've done none of those.
00:52You talked about the Indo-Pacific a little bit, and I'm glad that you mentioned it.
00:56Can you name the importance of at least one of the nations in ASEAN, and what type of
01:03agreement we have with at least one of those nations?
01:06And how many nations are in ASEAN, by the way?
01:08I couldn't tell you the exact amount of nations in that, but I know we have allies in South
01:12Korea and Japan, and in AUKUS with Australia, and trying to work on submarines with them.
01:18And NATO transfers with them.
01:19Mr. Hexeth, none of those countries are in ASEAN.
01:20We have allies across.
01:22None of those three countries that you've mentioned are in ASEAN.
01:24I suggest you do a little homework before you prepare for these types of negotiations.
01:29Listen.