Correspondent Desi Lydic of The Daily Show used her Tuesday night segment to revisit controversial statements made by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, tying them to a current scandal involving a deadly military operation.
Linking Past Comments to Present Controversy
Lydic introduced the topic by referencing the serious allegations against Hegseth. He is currently under fire for his role in overseeing a September 2 military attack on survivors clinging to the wreckage of an alleged drug trafficking boat. Critics have labeled the incident an act of "murder" or a "war crime." Lydic expressed a desire for context on his attitude toward such grave matters.
She then played a clip from 2019, featuring Hegseth during his time as a Fox News host. In the segment from "Fox & Friends," he defended Army Major Mathew L. Golsteyn, who was charged with killing an Afghan detainee alleged to be a Taliban bomb maker. President Donald Trump later pardoned Golsteyn before the investigation concluded.
In the clip, Hegseth debated with then-Representative Duncan Hunter, an Iraq War veteran. "If he committed premeditated murder, then Duncan did as well. Then I did as well. What do you think you do in war?" Hegseth argued. "Put us all in jail!" The Daily Show audience reacted with applause as Lydic shrugged her shoulders and quipped, "Hey! You said it, not me."
Satire Targets Official's Social Media Response
Lydic also took aim at how Hegseth has handled the public backlash from the scandal, dubbing him the "secretary of defensiveness." She specifically mocked his use of a "Franklin the Turtle" meme in his response. The meme depicted the children's book character riding a helicopter and apparently firing missiles at drug boats.
"This whole image is deeply disturbing, especially the part where the turtle is wearing a helmet. Why does he need a helmet? His whole body is a helmet!" Lydic joked. She suggested that if Hegseth wanted a militant turtle, he should have used the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles instead. "There's already several turtles who famously kill people for a living, use them!" she said.
Context and Public Reaction
The segment effectively juxtaposed Hegseth's past cavalier remarks about the realities of war with the current serious allegations against him. By using satire, The Daily Show highlighted the ongoing controversy and the secretary's unconventional public relations strategy. The monologue encouraged viewers to question the consistency and seriousness with which allegations of wartime misconduct are addressed by high-ranking officials.
For a full look at the satirical commentary, viewers can watch Desi Lydic's complete Tuesday monologue on The Daily Show.
