US Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett failed to answer basic questions related to US and NATO security during a hearing before the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.
Eugene Vindman, a member of the House of Representatives from Virginia, first asked the Pentagon chief how many ships the Chinese navy is expected to have by 2030. Pete Hegsett said this was classified information, but the congressman cited a public report that put the number at 435.
Vindman then asked which corridor in eastern Poland was vulnerable (to a potential Russian attack) and a priority for the US. "I'm sure you can tell me," Pete Hegseth replied, apparently having no idea what the Suwalki Corridor was.
The Suwalki Corridor, which connects Lithuania and Poland, is considered NATO's weak spot. This corridor separates Belarus from the Kaliningrad region. Military experts have been warning for years that he would become Vladimir Putin's main target in the event of a war between Russia and NATO.
Finally, Congressman Eugene Vindman asked Pete Hegseth about the Kaliningrad region, but the defense secretary failed to answer this seemingly easy question, replying that “we're clearly playing a pop quiz game here“.
I asked Secretary Hegseth some military 101 questions.
— Congressman Eugene Vindman (@RepVindman) June 13, 2025
He flunked.
America’s service members deserve better than this pop quiz dropout. pic.twitter.com/tfNLbQrDli