Late-night hosts have turned their attention to the Trump administration's escalating conflict with Iran, focusing on confusion over military strategy and reports of lavish spending by the Department of Defense. On Late Night, Seth Meyers highlighted the lack of clarity surrounding the two-week-old war, noting that Republicans cannot agree on whether to support ground troops, for how long, or why.
Meyers particularly targeted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom he described as a “defense secretary/morning show host/fifth-year senior”. He mocked Hegseth’s pledge to turn the department into “the department of war” and focus on “war-fighting”, questioning the need for the term. “Modern Warfare was a popular video game. Modern War-Fighting is a janky board game your nana gets you because she sucks at listening,” Meyers joked.
The comedian also seized on reports that the Pentagon spent $15.1m on ribeye steak and $6.9m on lobster tail in September alone, despite Hegseth’s promises to cut waste. “No wonder Hegseth always looks miserable – he’s 24/7 meat-constipated,” Meyers laughed. “That’s the face of a man war-fighting with his colon.” He added that the department also spent billions on IT support for cable TV and hundreds of thousands on luxury musical instruments.
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert addressed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has laid mines and deployed missiles and explosive-laden boats. Ten vessels have been attacked since the conflict began, with three more hit on Tuesday. Colbert quipped that the strait is now “the most unsafe place to be on a boat, narrowly surpassing ‘with your recently divorced uncle who wants to see what this baby can do’.”
Colbert also noted the impact on oil prices, which have risen sharply from $2.98 to $3.58 per gallon in two weeks. He mocked Trump’s claim that the price spike is temporary, saying: “Easy for him to say – he doesn’t pay for his own gas. That’s anyone who stands behind him.” The White House was reportedly surprised by the spike, prompting Colbert to ask: “Really?! You were ‘surprised’ that bombing the place the oil comes from makes the oil cost more?”
