Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) seemed lost for an answer during the CNN climate town hall when questioned about whether the U.S. should have more icebreakers in the Arctic amid a growing Russian presence.

When asked if she would grow the U.S. Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet to match Russia’s, she questioned the purpose of having icebreakers in the Arctic.

“It depends on what the purpose of those icebreakers is. What is the purpose? What are we saying is a legitimate purpose there?” she said when pressed for a second time.

Initially, CNN Anchor Bill Weir told Harris that he had just returned from a reporting trip to the Arctic, where he saw one of the U.S. Coast Guard’s two fully-operational icebreakers.

Weir, noting Russia’s growing fleet of at least three dozen icebreakers and its intentions to dominate new melting pathways and the discovery of natural resources there, asked Harris what she would direct the U.S. military to do in the region and what would she say to allies and enemies to leave those resources intact.

Harris first said there was a lot to “unpack,” briefly noted Russia’s motivation to “expand its territory,” and then quickly pivoted away to the issue of land preservation.

“Let’s put that aside and talk about our involvement there — we should not be selling or leasing public land for the purposes of drilling,” she said to applause.

She then moved on to alleged “corruption” by members of the Trump administration. She did not name anyone specifically but claimed that there were members who have worked in industries “profiteering” off harming the environment and plan to go back to those industries after leaving government.

However, CNN Anchor Erin Burnett did not let Harris off the hook, and went back to Weir’s original question.

“Getting back to Russia … this has been a long issue, and we have done nothing about it as a country … would you match them on the icebreakers?”

Harris responded, “It depends on what the purpose of those icebreakers is. What is the purpose? What are we saying is a legitimate purpose there?”

“If we can answer the question then perhaps we can have that conversation, but I don’t know what the legitimate purpose is,” she said.

More icebreakers are seen as critical for the U.S. to conduct operations in the Arctic. Harris’s colleague in the Senate, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), recently visited the region and was much more versed on the issue.

He said in an August 26 statement: