Seth Meyers on Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing: ‘A test to see how loyal Republicans will be’
Late-night hosts talk Donald Trump’s inauguration guests and Pete Hegseth’s contentious Senate confirmation hearing for secretary of defense,On Wednesday evening, Seth Meyers recapped a tough day on Capitol Hill for Trump’s secretary of defense nominee, Pete Hegseth – the former Fox & Friends Weekend host many have dismissed as unqualified – who once, as the Late Night host recalled, accidentally threw an axe at passersby in Manhattan,“Unless four Republican senators vote against him, which they almost certainly won’t, that guy will lead the most powerful military in the world – a military that will hopefully institute a policy for their own safety called Don’t Axe, Don’t Tell,” Meyers quipped,“The same Maga movement that claims to be anti-war is very much pro-Hegseth,” he noted, even as Hegseth refused to say that he would not work for the defense industry after he leaves the Pentagon, despite barring generals from doing the same,“Hegseth’s rule is that generals should not be able to work for the defense industry, but he should be able to cash in immediately when he wants to,” said Meyers, “although he might have some trouble getting a corporate job given his prior management record”.
Hegseth was reportedly removed from two separate veterans’ groups over reports of excessive drinking, sexual harassment and financial misconduct.Those issues are not long in the past; as recently as spring 2023, Hegseth allegedly ordered three gin and tonics at a weekday breakfast meeting with an acquaintance in Manhattan.“Three gin and tonics for breakfast on a workday?! Even my mother waits for Saturday to have that much breakfast gin,” Meyers marveled.During the hearing, Hegseth repeatedly dismissed the reports as “anonymous smears”.“Well, at least we know he’s sober for this, because ‘anonymous smears’ is very hard to say when you’re drunk,” Meyers joked.
“Also, they were yes or no questions.You can’t just keep saying ‘anonymous smears’, especially since some of those smears were not smears and were not anonymous,” Meyers noted.Jokes aside, “Hegseth is deeply unqualified,” Meyers concluded.“But his nomination is a test to see how loyal Republicans will be.”In Los Angeles, Jimmy Kimmel looked ahead to Trump’s inauguration, which will feature full-staff flags, despite the customary monthlong mourning period for a former president (Jimmy Carter died on 29 December at the age of 100).
Nevertheless, the speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, declared all US flags at the Capitol will fly at full staff on inauguration day, “which might be the most Donald Trump-y thing Donald Trump has ever done, to be mad that a guy who just died is getting all the attention”, Kimmel laughed.In the past week, Trump has proposed several “bigly” ideas: buying Greenland, taking Greenland, co-opting Canada, reclaiming the Panama Canal, changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico and yesterday, “Uncle Scam announced his plan to create a new government agency to collect all those beautiful tariffs he wants to impose,” Kimmel reported.“From the people who brought you the space force: the ‘external revenue service’”, he added.Trump claims the “ERS” will make sure other countries pay their fair share – “and who knows more about paying their fair share than the billionaire who paid $750 in taxes in 2016 and again in 2017”.Meanwhile, Elon Musk is still set to lead the newly created “department of government efficiency”, because “nothing says efficiency like a man who has 12 kids with three different women”, Kimmel joked.
“The idea that a private citizens whose companies do huge amounts of business with the federal government will soon be in charge of government spending is nuts.Even for Donald Trump, that’s nuts.”Musk will even get his own office in the White House complex.He will be set up in the Eisenhower building, which was “actually a compromise”, said Kimmel.“Originally, Elon wanted to be in Trump’s bedroom with him.
”And on the Late Show, Stephen Colbert acknowledged Michelle Obama’s plan to skip Trump’s inauguration, without providing an explanation.“Hm, what could it be?!” he mock-wondered.“Some are speculating it’s health-related, and that she came down with an incurable case of integrity.You know what she always says: when they go low, I go byeeee.”One confirmed special guest at the celebration: the garbage truck Trump used for an infamous pre-election photo-op.
“Personally, I find this surprising for several reasons,” said Colbert.“First, those trucks usually take out the garbage.” And second, Trump almost fell climbing into it, “so I assume he had the door handle executed”.“Of course, a lot of corporations out there are bellying up to the all-you-can-smooch Trump butt buffet,” said Colbert.That includes Coca-Cola, which gifted Trump a special inaugural Diet Coke bottle featuring an image of the White House and Trump’s name.
“That is it! I’ve had it with these corporations.Diet Coke is cozying up to an authoritarian administration, I am never drinking Diet Coke again!” Colbert fumed … before cracking into a fresh can.
Jack Draper goes the distance again to beat Vukic and set up Alcaraz clash
Throughout the early days of Jack Draper’s young career, questions around his physical preparedness for his chosen sport followed him wherever he went. As he continually struggled with injuries and endurance issues alike, Draper never failed to hear from those who believe he did not work hard enough, carry himself with sufficient professionalism or care enough about his craft.Those days are over. Forever. For the third straight match in Melbourne, despite his stunted preparation and the rust that caked his game, Draper made his commitment and passion plain to see as he left everything out on the court and somehow found a way to drag himself across the finishing line of yet another frantic five-set match he seemed destined to lose, drawing on his endless reserves of grit and heart in the process
Draper delighted hard work paying off after hat-trick of Melbourne marathons
Jack Draper says his trio of five-set victories at the Australian Open are evidence of the hard work he has put into his career, effort that is finally paying off for him in the biggest matches.“I still have a long way to go, but this is a huge drive forward, the fact that I’ve come through three five-set matches, mentally and physically, it doesn’t happen often,” said Draper. “That’s a testament to the work I’ve done and the place I’m in. So very, very proud of that.”At 12:55am on Saturday morning in Melbourne, Draper, the 15th seed, closed out his third five-set win in as many matches to reach the fourth round with a 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) victory over Aleksandar Vukic of Australia
Windsor embraces return of jumps racing with cash at the Million festival
When Windsor staged what was billed as its last ever jumps meeting in December 1998, the final race on the card was the Norwegian Blue Handicap Hurdle – a clear sign that as far as the track was concerned, jumping was no more. It had ceased to be.A generation later, though, it is suddenly showing distinct signs of life. There were just under 5,000 racegoers at Windsor last month for the first officially scheduled jumps meeting for 26 years, and the queues at the turnstiles on Friday – the first of two days as part of the first Berkshire Million festival, with the Clarence House Chase card at Ascot as the meat in the sandwich – suggested plenty of those fans had come back for more.There was a total of £18,299 in win prize money on offer for the seven races in 1998
‘So much pain’: England and Lions wing Anthony Watson retires due to injury
The England and British & Irish Lions wing Anthony Watson has retired from rugby aged 30 on medical grounds, having been advised it was no longer safe to continue playing.Watson, who brings the curtain down with 56 caps, has been beset by injuries of late with a debilitating back problem proving the final straw. Across a career that began with London Irish in 2011, Watson has been blighted by two long-term achilles layoffs, ACL surgery, more recent calf issues and the back injury that left him in “so much pain”.Watson said: “I think my body will carry a significant amount of, I guess, deficiency as a result of playing rugby. Stopping now probably allows me to do the basic things I need to do as a dad, husband and son, so that is the priority
Rory McIlroy makes weekend at Desert Classic but Rahm and Hovland exit
For a spell on Friday afternoon the organisers of the Dubai Desert Classic had cause for panic. Jon Rahm had already tumbled out of the tournament after 36 holes, Viktor Hovland was heading the same way and Rory McIlroy was dangerously close to the cut line. Not for the first time at the Emirates Club, McIlroy saved the day; a birdie at the 18th meant he survived for the weekend with three shots to spare. Given McIlroy’s specialism here – he is seeking a third win in a row – a deficit of nine to the leader, Ewen Ferguson, is unlikely to faze the Northern Irishman.Rahm’s struggles on his first start of 2025 and debut in this tournament caused widespread shock
Eliud Kipchoge offers to mentor Alex Yee for Briton’s first London Marathon
Eliud Kipchoge has revealed his admiration for Britain’s triathlon gold medallist Alex Yee – and says he wants to meet and help mentor the Team GB star when they both run the London Marathon in April.The 40-year-old Kipchoge insists he can still compete with the world’s best when he runs in London for the first time since 2020, despite getting injured when bidding for his third Olympic marathon title.But one of his ambitions while in London is to also meet Yee, who memorably won triathlon gold in the final few strides in Paris after a blistering comeback.“I’d love to know him more,” admitted Kipchoge. “I’d like to meet him before the race and share the lives we live
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