Amid revelations that Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was invited into a Signal chat with high-level Trump administration officials, particularly Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussing military strategy surrounding their war strikes in Yemen, talk show host Stephen Colbert angrily called out Hegseth for demonizing Goldberg once the scandal broke.
Instead of providing an explanation or apology, Hegseth went on the offensive, criticizing Goldberg as "deceitful and highly discredited" and dismissing him as "a guy that peddles in garbage."
Colbert proceeded to accuse Hegseth and his colleagues of incompetence so profound that they've "tried every kind of spin they can think of," adding:
"The only reason we know that they were doing any of this is because they accidentally included a journalist! 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 OnlyFans."
And after showing a clip of Hegseth attacking Goldberg, Colbert asked the burning question:
"Then why. Was he. On the war planning. Group chat. 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?!"
You can hear what he said in the video below.
You can watch his full segment below.
Many concurred with Colbert's assessment.
During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, intelligence officials from the Trump administration denied that the Signal chat contained classified information.
When questioned by Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich about whether the conversation included details on "weapons packages, targets, or timing," both former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and current DNI Tulsi Gabbard stated they were unaware of such content, with Gabbard deferring to the Department of Defense.
The Atlantic reported that it had reached out to Trump administration officials and the White House regarding the publication of the messages, given their denial that the chat contained classified material or "war plans." While most did not respond, Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt objected to the release but maintained that "no classified information was transmitted in the group chat."
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