Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Pete Hegseth’s ‘Romantic’ Praise of Trump Amid Impeachment Push: ‘Look Out, Melania’

Jimmy Kimmel mocked Pete Hegseth’s Tuesday press conference, taking aim at the defense secretary’s “romantic” remarks about President Donald Trump.During Tuesday’s monologue for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” the comedian touched on the press conference Hegseth gave while facing an impeachment effort from Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, calling it “a doozy of a performance” by the defense secretary. “He did exactly what members of the Trumper-verse do when they find themselves in a situation like this,” Kimmel said. “He smeared on the chapstick. He got down on his knees and kissed the royal ass.” The “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” editors then cut to footage from Hegseth’s press conference, where he told journalists, “We’ve never had a better commander-in-chief. Full stop. I get to watch him every single day. He lives and breathes America first. And it’s the honor of a lifetime to be his secretary of war. Any day he’ll have me, I’ll be right here at this podium.” “Well, in that case, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Kimmel quipped after watching the clip. “I mean, that may have been the most romantic speech I’ve ever heard given by a Secretary of War.” The comedian then took a moment to jokingly warn first lady Melania Trump that she may have some competition on her hands. “Look out, Melania. Pretty Pete’s gunning for your spot,” he added. And, as Kimmel highlighted, Trump responded positively to Hegseth’s “Please Don’t Impeach Me” speech, writing on Truth Social, “Pete Hegseth gets an ‘A’ PLUS, PLUS, PLUS for his defense against a disgruntled, angry, defeated, former Congressman, Thomas Massie, a TOTAL LOSER!” Yet, Hegseth emerged victorious against the impeachment effort, as it was blocked in a 211-204 vote. “And then later in the day, Republicans in the House voted to postpone that impeachment vote,” Kimmel concluded. “They referred it to committee, which means somebody’s having a shot of impeach-flavored schnapps at the Pentagon tonight, if you know what I mean.” A representative for the Pentagon did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.