Jimmy Kimmel was baffled by one strange moment during Tuesday’s hearings for defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, who has faced allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct, which he has denied.
But the moment came not from Hegseth, but Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who came to his defense after Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) detailed some of those allegations.
Mullin, Kimmel said, “did not do much to help head off the stereotype about people named Markwayne.”
Mullin’s defense included declaring that a number of senators had also cheated on their wives.
“We’ve all made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes. And Jennifer, thank you for loving him through that mistake,” Mullin said, referring to Hegseth’s wife. Then, Mullin unexpectedly mentioning his own spouse. “The only reason why I’m here and not in prison is because my wife loved me too.”
Kimmel was baffled.
“What? What does that mean?” he asked. “I looked it up, I have no idea what he’s talking about. Did she keister a nail file in a conjugal visit or something? If I was in that room, I’d say never mind about Pete Hegseth, let’s find out more about Markwayne and his wife.”
See more in his Tuesday night monologue: