Late-night host Stephen Colbert used Wednesday’s episode of “The Late Show” to critique the ongoing public exchange between Tucker Carlson and Sen. Ted Cruz over the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
According to Breitbart, Colbert’s monologue focused on mocking Carlson, defending U.S. involvement in foreign affairs, and accusing former President Donald Trump of embracing extremist rhetoric tied to the America First slogan.
During his monologue, Colbert addressed the recent argument between Carlson and Cruz, highlighting the disagreement over the United States’ role in the Israel-Iran conflict. Carlson had questioned whether political leaders in Washington bore responsibility for recent attacks in the region. He claimed that officials espousing an “America first” agenda could not deny involvement if those policies contributed to global instability.
Colbert, in characteristic satirical style, mocked Carlson by calling him “a former famous person” and likened him to a “thoughtful hemorrhoid,” ridiculing his self-styling as an anti-war conservative figure. He presented Carlson as a vocal supporter of nationalist policies who was now pointing fingers over the consequences of those same positions.
Quoting directly from Carlson's newsletter, Colbert read that “Washington knew these attacks would happen” and criticized politicians claiming to be “America first” for their supposed lack of accountability. The quote reflected Carlson’s skepticism toward foreign intervention and U.S. intelligence claims about the Israel-Iran tensions.
Colbert pointed out that Trump disapproved of Carlson’s remarks and responded by asserting his definition of the “America first” term. Trump was paraphrased as emphasizing his role in popularizing the phrase, insisting that its meaning remained under his control due to his prominence in promoting it.
Colbert challenged Trump’s ownership of the slogan, arguing that it carried historical associations long before Trump adopted it. He explained that the “America First” movement dates back to the 1930s, when it was used by certain American groups that were sympathetic to Nazi Germany’s agenda before World War II.
The late-night host refuted Trump’s claim that he invented or significantly redefined the phrase. He stressed that its historical roots included alignment with isolationist views and, in some cases, anti-Semitic ideologies. This point was underscored with the assertion that the slogan had a controversial past unrelated to Trump’s presidency.
Colbert then remarked that Trump’s alignment with such ideas didn’t become apparent until more recent years. In a critical aside, he said sarcastically that the former president “wasn’t Nazi-friendly until 2017,” alluding to the controversial comments Trump made following the violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.
Colbert invoked Trump’s widely reported statement labeling some of the Charlottesville demonstrators as “very fine people.” The comment, made in 2017, came amid national outrage over the deadly protest organized by far-right groups, which included white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
By revisiting this moment, Colbert drew a connection between Trump’s use of “America first” rhetoric and what critics view as tacit approval of extremist ideologies. The reference served to reinforce his earlier claim about Trump’s association with controversial political narratives.
Throughout the segment, Colbert continued to alternate between humor and political criticism. While his tone remained comedic, the commentary linked real political disputes to deeper concerns about historical language and national identity.
The back-and-forth between Carlson and Trump over the “America first” phrase also highlights the competing narratives within the conservative movement. As Carlson questioned the integrity of foreign policy decisions, Trump sought to maintain control over the branding of his political legacy.
Colbert used this internal conflict as material for his jokes, but also emphasized the seriousness of the language used by political leaders. The friction among right-leaning figures offered Colbert an opportunity to question the sincerity and stability of the movement’s guiding principles.
This latest monologue builds on Colbert’s history of lampooning political figures, particularly through monologues that combine satire with critiques of language and policy. His use of historical references served to add context to present-day political discourse.
While grounded in comedy, Colbert’s commentary reflects wider concerns about how slogans like “America first” evolve across generations. The phrase has been used by various political groups to signal very different goals, from pre-war isolationism to modern nationalism.
As the Israel-Iran conflict continues to develop, figures like Carlson raise skepticism about U.S. involvement, while traditional politicians debate the consequences of American foreign policy. The framing from Carlson, Cruz, and Trump demonstrates a broader struggle within conservative politics over identity and direction.
Colbert’s response, though filtered through parody, underscores an enduring tension in American politics: whether slogans can truly unify a movement, or if their historical baggage creates more division than clarity.
