U.S. officials’ Signal chat debacle has provided bountiful fodder for late show hosts, and Stephen Colbert is feasting. Though Republicans have attempted to spin the embarrassing security breach as somehow demonstrating the Trump administration’s competence, Colbert noted that the war planning Signal chat may have violated the Espionage Act.
“The only reason we know that they were doing any of this is because they accidentally included a journalist!” said the Late Show host. “What else are these ‘merit-based hires posting on? What’re they doing? Where else? For all we know for just $4.99 a month you might see the launch codes on Only Fans.”
Colbert also addressed Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth‘s attempt to discredit said journalist. When asked by reporters about the incident, Hegseth called The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg “deceitful” and accused him of “[peddling] in garbage.”
“Then why. Was he. On the war planning. Group chat,” said Colbert, growing increasingly more agitated. “Why. Was he in. The chat! ‘This guy’s an idiot and everyone hates him.’ You’re the guys who put him in the chat! You did! ‘He’s a moron’? Okay then! Don’t put him! In the secret chat! If he’s a bad guy! Why’s he in the chat?!”
