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CBS’s Stephen Colbert may fancy himself as a comedian, but basic journalistic standards such as accuracy still apply to him and his jokes. However, The Late Show host used his Tuesday show to spread fake news about Defense Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth as Hegseth attempted to defend himself against a media that continues to spread disinformation about his views on women in the military.

Colbert began his remarks by putting up a shirtless picture of Hegseth, “Yesterday was a big day for Trump Secretary of Defense nominee and gym teacher who shows up uninvited to the senior pool party, Pete Hegseth.”

Getting to the day’s news, Colbert continued, “Hegseth’s nomination has been in trouble after accusations of sexual assault and public drunkenness. So, yesterday, he went up to Capitol Hill on a mission. As CNN described it, “Hegseth’s focus intensifies on key women senators in weeks ahead.” Speaking of women and keys and women, they’re great things to put between your knuckles if you’re approached by Pete Hegseth. Hegseth also did damage control last night on Hannity.”

In a clip of that appearance, Hegseth accurately declared, “And I also want an opportunity here to clarify comments that have been misconstrued that I somehow don’t support women in the military.”

Colbert then reacted by teeing up a clip of Hegseth on The Shawn Ryan Show, “Yes, the media is so unfair. Let’s hear the comments that have been so brutally twisted and misconstrued.”

In that clip, Hegseth was shown saying, “I’m straight-up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.”

Unfortunately, Colbert is not the first media personality to take this one part of a two-and-a-half-hour podcast appearance and strip it of its context. Also in that interview, Hegseth acknowledges how 360-degree battlefields, such as those that existed in Iraq and Afghanistan, blur the lines of what is and is not a combat job. He also made clear he has no problems with female combat pilots. Hegseth was simply talking about jobs where physical strength is the most important qualification and even then, he was willing to concede that if a woman meets the physical standards for a job, she should get it. He is simply against lowering standards in order to get a talking point about historic firsts or diversity.

Colbert didn’t care about any of this context. Instead, he falsely quipped, “Okay, that sounds pretty construed. But in Pete’s defense, that clip is from all the way back when Pete was—one month ago.”

 Here is a transcript for the December 10 show:

CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

12/10/2024

11:43 PM ET

STEPHEN COLBERT: Yesterday was a big day for Trump Secretary of Defense nominee and gym teacher who shows up uninvited to the senior pool party, Pete Hegseth. Hegseth’s nomination has been in trouble after accusations of sexual assault and public drunkenness. So, yesterday, he went up to Capitol Hill on a mission. As CNN described it, “Hegseth’s focus intensifies on key women senators in weeks ahead.” Speaking of women and keys and women, they’re great things to put between your knuckles if you’re approached by Pete Hegseth. Hegseth also did damage control last night on Hannity.

PETE HEGSETH: And I also want an opportunity here to clarify comments that have been misconstrued that I somehow don’t support women in the military.

COLBERT: Yes, the media is so unfair. Let’s hear the comments that have been so brutally twisted and misconstrued.

HEGSETH: I’m straight-up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.

COLBERT: Okay, that sounds pretty construed. But in Pete’s defense, that clip is from all the way back when Pete was — one month ago.