Trump hates US trade deficits, loves US tariffs and is mostly indifferent, if not hostile, toward multilateral arrangements including ASEAN.

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 ...

It is no surprise that a top member of the Trump administration, like Hegseth, faces concerns, as there have been worries that the boss himself may not be keen on Southeast Asia.