In his inaugural address, the US president also discusses tariffs generally but does not specifically target Beijing

Tammy Duckworth asked the nominee for factual details about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including its membership and the U.S.'s relationship with member countries. Hegseth responded that he was unable to name the exact members of ASEAN,

A senator told Hegseth: "I suggest you do a little homework before you prepare for these types of negotiations."

While Hegseth fumbled in responding to questions from Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who was born in Bangkok and injured in combat while serving in the U.S. military, regional leaders have expressed optimism about U.S. engagement under Trump’s leadership.

I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success.’

Malaysia, this year's ASEAN chair, said Sunday ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House t

In a heated Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, Sen. Tammy Duckworth grilled the proposed defense secretary over the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, asking him if he could name one member and how many countries were in the bloc.

As Donald Trump returns to the White House as the 47th President of the United States, so does his ‘America First’ agenda. For Southeast Asia, the echoes of his first presidency leave the region bracing for familiar challenges—but could Trump’s second term bring surprises?

During his confirmation hearing, Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee couldn’t name a single member of the Southeast Asian bloc.

Can Anwar Ibrahim's diplomatic finesse help Malaysia steer Asean through the storm of rising trade tensions and regional crises? Malaysia takes the helm of Asean at a time of see-sawing threats and opportunities,

Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, born in Bangkok to a Thai mother and an American father, posed the question to Pete Hegseth.

WASHINGTON: President-elect Donald Trump is not expected to unveil China-specific tariffs on his first day in office, as the incoming administration has pivoted toward starting his second term with potential engagement with Beijing rather than another trade war.