Chris Cuomo took aim at Senator Tim Kaine for prioritizing personal drama over pressing national defense issues during Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense.

The NewsNation host questioned why Democrats seemed more interested in Hegseth’s personal life than his qualifications for safeguarding the nation, as reported by The Daily Mail.

“What questions would you ask a potential secretary of defense?” Cuomo posed to his audience. “China, Russia, terrorism, Pentagon budgets? Or would your top concern be his marriage?”

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During the hearing, Kaine grilled Hegseth about allegations of infidelity during a prior marriage. The senator pressed the Trump nominee, saying, “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?’

“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?”

“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?”

Hegseth responded candidly, admitting he wasn’t a “perfect person” but emphasizing that he had been “falsely charged, fully investigated, and completely cleared.”

Cuomo didn’t hold back, accusing Kaine of applying a double standard. “’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,” Cuomo stated.

The NewsNation host dubbed Kaine’s line of questioning as pulling “a Bill Clinton,” implying that the senator was using Hegseth’s alleged past mistakes to question his loyalty in office.

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“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 quipped.

Social media users were quick to pile on Kaine’s hypocrisy. Several pointed out his associations with figures like Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris’s husband, who faced accusations of misconduct in his own past.

One user remarked, “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.”

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 pic.twitter.com/0UJQkjQ3Ti

— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) January 14, 2025

Others highlighted Kaine’s defense of Bill Clinton during his impeachment over Oval Office indiscretions.

“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?”

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? pic.twitter.com/ZbZGCjGzh2

— JOSH DUNLAP (@JDunlap1974) January 15, 2025

Doubling down on his criticisms, Kaine accused Hegseth of more than just personal failings. He claimed the nominee had a “long, documented history of on-the-job intoxication and inappropriate behavior,” which he argued could jeopardize national security.

🚨🔥Chris Cuomo got this right: “We saw the enemy today at Pete Hegseth’s armed services committee hearing, and it’s us.”

CUOMO: “What questions would you have for a potential Secretary of Defense? What are you going to do about China, Russia, Terror, Pentagon size, drones, or… pic.twitter.com/nVIjSDMPaj

— LionHearted (@LionHearted76) January 15, 2025

Kaine further alleged that Hegseth had hidden details of a sexual misconduct investigation and subsequent private settlement to avoid jeopardizing his confirmation.

Critics of Kaine’s approach argue it’s a distraction from the real issues facing America’s military leadership. With global threats escalating, they contend the focus should remain on Hegseth’s strategies for countering adversaries—not his personal life.

Cuomo summed it up best: “We are talking about being the top warrior, not our pastor.”