Hegseth responded at the heated Senate confirmation hearing that he couldn’t tell Duckworth the exact number of ASEAN nations, but that “I know we have allies in South Korea and Japan in AUKUS (a pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S.) with Australia.”

Elissa Slotkin, Michigan's new US senator, wanted to know if Pete Hegseth would reject an unlawful order to use the military against civilians.

Pete Hegseth could hardly be more suited to be Donald Trump’s secretary of Defense — even though he’d surely be deemed unqualified by any conventional president.

Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon endured fierce Democratic grilling over everything from his inexperience, alleged drinking and his past opposition to women in combat to emerge largely unscathed among Republicans at his confirmation hearing.

Pete Hegseth faced an important test on Tuesday — but he didn't just have to prove himself to the senators who immediately began sparring over his nomination as defense secretary