Chris Cuomo criticized Democratic Senator Tim Kaine on Tuesday night for discussing past marriages with defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth instead of focusing on national security. 

‘What questions would you have for a potential secretary of defense? What are you going to do about China, Russia, terror, Pentagon size, drones,’ the NewsNation   host asked viewers. ‘Or would your top concern be his marriage?’

Cuomo showed a clip from Hegseth’s confirmation hearing on Tuesday where Kaine pressed the President-elect’s defense secretary pick on accusations of infidelity in one of his previous marriages. 

‘I want to return to the incident that you referenced a minute ago,’ Kaine said. ‘At that time, you were still married to your second wife, correct? And you had just fathered a child by a woman who would later become your third wife, correct?’ 

Hegseth responded: ‘Senator I was falsely charged, fully investigated and completely cleared.’ 

‘So, you think that you were completely cleared because you committed no crime, that’s your definition of cleared? You had just fathered a child two months before by a woman that was not your wife,’ Kaine asked. 

‘I assume that in each of your weddings, you’ve pledged to be faithful to your wife. You’ve taken an oath to do that, haven’t you?’ 

Hegseth responded that he has not been ‘a perfect person.’ 

NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo showed a clip from Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing on Tuesday where Kaine pressed the President-elect’s defense secretary pick on accusations of infidelity in one of his previous marriages

Senator Tim Kaine said to Hegseth: ‘I just asked a simple question, you’ve taken an oath – like you would take an oath to be secretary of defense – in all of your weddings to be faithful to your wife, is that correct?’

‘What questions would you have for a potential secretary of defense? What are you going to do about China, Russia, terror, Pentagon size, drones,’ Cuomo posed to viewers. ‘Or would your top concern be his marriage?’

Kaine continued: ‘I just asked a simple question, you’ve taken an oath – like you would take an oath to be secretary of defense – in all of your weddings to be faithful to your wife, is that correct?’

Kaine, in what Cuomo coined ‘a Bill Clinton’, was insinuating that because of Hegseth’s alleged infidelity in a previous marriage – where he took an oath to stay faithful – he would therefore be ‘unfaithful’ or disloyal in his position as secretary of defense. 

‘Two points of disgust: How many people on that committee, how many in Congress, could pass the Kaine test that you can’t honor an oath to serve if you’ve ever been unfaithful? Kaine may be sitting in that room alone,’ Cuomo said. 

Cuomo also pointed out Kaine’s hypocrisy for supporting Clinton for president. 

‘Who cares? When we are talking about being the top warrior, not our pastor. I’ll tell you who agreed with me once about this: Tim Kaine. He supported Bill Clinton for president,’ he said.

‘He didn’t say he couldn’t serve despite all he knew about his peccadilloes. He still backed him. Why? Is president not as important an oath? So, what changed?’ 

People online also caught on to Kaine’s hypocritical and intrusive cross examination of Hegseth. 

One user on X pointed out his history with Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff. 

Hegseth is President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary. Hegseth previously worked as a TV presenter, notably for Fox News

Kaine, in what Cuomo coined ‘a Bill Clinton’, was insinuating that because of Hegseth’s alleged infidelity in a previous marriage – where he took an oath to stay faithful – he would therefore be ‘unfaithful’ or disloyal in his position as secretary of defense

‘Tim Kaine was WAY too interested in Pete Hegseth’s sex life… interesting. And let’s not forget he campaigned with Doug Emhoff, who was accused of assaulting his ex. And never once denied it.’ 

Another user wrote: ‘Tim Kaine has a lot to say about Pete Hegseth’s conduct during his marriage. Here’s Tim Kaine campaigning with Doug Emhoff, who -while married – impregnated his nanny and forced her to get an abortion.’ 

One said: ‘So, this guy is questioning Pete Hegseth about his past, but wasn’t he Hillary Clinton’s running mate and wasn’t Bill having numerous affairs? 

‘So, I’m confused… you are holy than thou talking about affairs, and you seem so disgusted by them, but you are friends with a person who had numerous affairs….and we had to pay for one of those…. like $850,000 to one of them. Right?’ 

‘Tim Kaine opposed the impeachment of Bill Clinton, who had sex in the oval office while being president and being married to somebody else. But now Tim Kaine has questions of marital fidelity and qualification for office for Pete Hegseth,’ another wrote.   

However, Tim Kaine also took to X and posted: ‘There is a long, documented history of Pete Hegseth’s on-the-job intoxication and completely inappropriate behavior. Under no circumstances can our national security be threatened by intoxicated leadership.’ 

In another post he said: ‘Pete Hegseth hid his alleged sexual misconduct, ensuing criminal investigation, and private settlement he reached with his accuser while under consideration to lead the DOD. He knew it would hurt his chances. How can he be trusted to be honest with the President and public?’