“You have not earned your place as Secretary of Defense. You, sir, are a no-go at this station,” Senator Tammy Duckworth said during the confirmation hearing of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Defense Secretary. Duckworth challenged Hegseth on his qualifications in a series of pointed exchanges.
At one point, Duckworth asked Hegseth about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). “And how many nations are in ASEAN, by the way?” she asked.
“I couldn’t tell you the exact amount of nations in that,” Hegseth replied. “But I know we have allies in South Korea, in Japan, and in AUKUS with Australia, and trying to work on submarines with them.”
Duckworth responded sharply, “Mr. Hegseth, none of those countries are in ASEAN.”
She also pressed him on his ability to oversee budget audits, highlighting his lack of experience. “I will take that as a no,” Duckworth said. “What were the findings? So there were no findings, because you’ve never led an audit. What guidance did you give the auditors? None, because you’ve never led an audit.”
During the Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing, lawmakers questioned Hegseth’s opposition to women in combat, his stance against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
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