Stephen Colbert Highlights Pentagon Photographer Ban and Spending Concerns

Stephen Colbert, host of “The Late Demonstrate,” recently addressed controversies surrounding Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, focusing on both a ban on press photographers at the Pentagon and reports of significant government spending.

Photographer Ban at the Pentagon

Colbert discussed Hegseth’s decision to bar press photographers from his briefings after they published photos deemed “unflattering” by his staff. The comedian suggested the ban stemmed more from Hegseth’s insecurities than any actual issues with the photographs themselves. “Pete Hegseth has a lot on his plate, but he’s keeping his eye on the prize — by barring press photographers from his briefings after they published photos of him that his staff deemed unflattering,” Colbert quipped during Thursday’s monologue. He then displayed the photos in question, noting they appeared unremarkable.

Colbert jokingly offered Hegseth advice, suggesting he “consider bangs” if feeling insecure about his appearance. The Wrap reported on Colbert’s commentary.

Concerns Over Pentagon Spending

Beyond the photographer ban, Colbert also addressed reports of substantial spending by the Pentagon under Hegseth’s leadership. Rolling Stone and Mashable detailed how the Pentagon spent over $93 billion in September 2025 alone.

Colbert highlighted specific examples of spending, including $12,000 on fruit basket stands and significant amounts on luxury food items. He mocked the extravagance, questioning the necessity of fruit baskets requiring stands, suggesting a clementine in a tote bag would suffice. He also referenced reports of $1.5 million spent on ribeye steaks, $2 million on Alaskan king crab, and $6.9 million on lobster tail.

An audience member audibly reacted with disbelief during Colbert’s monologue, shouting “What?!” during a joke about Hegseth’s spending, briefly interrupting the show. MSN reported on the audience reaction.

Additional Commentary

Colbert also briefly touched on other political figures during his monologue, including President Donald Trump’s pronunciation of Kentucky and a claim that the Iran war had already been won despite ongoing military operations.

“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS.