Politics

Pete Hegseth Brutally Fails Dem’s Foreign Affairs Pop Quiz

FAILING GRADE

The query was much more difficult than what some GOP senators asked, like, “How many pushups can you do?”

Pete Hegseth salutes.
Elizabeth Frantz/REUTERS

Pete Hegseth flunked a pop quiz from a Senate Democrat during his confirmation hearing. The U.S. Army vet and former Fox News commentator was quizzed by Tammy Duckworth, herself a veteran, about how many countries are in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and “what type of agreement we have with at least one of those nations?” Hegseth immediately conceded he did not know how many countries were in the association. More shockingly, however, was what he said next: “I know we have allies in South Korea, in Japan, and...in Australia.” Duckworth immediately cut off Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick to point out that none of the countries he mentioned are actually in ASEAN. “I suggest you do a little homework before you prepare for these types of negotiations,” she added. The brutal correction came in the latter half of Hegseth’s four-hour confirmation hearing, which wrapped with a slew of softball questions from the newly-elected Sen. Tim Sheehy that included the Montana Republican asking how many pushups he can do (Hegseth answered he did five sets of 47 that morning).

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