Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel isn’t exactly known to shy away when it comes to voicing his opinions. That’s pretty much what he did when he criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Calling Hegseth a “phony tough guy,” Kimmel called out the defense secretary for what the talk show host called “vanity.” Previously, Hegseth had allegedly blocked photographers from entering the Pentagon after they released some of his images that he considered unflattering.
“Turns out our phony tough guy, our secretary of war, is a sensitive little snowflake making a safe space for his beautiful face,” Kimmel said, adding, “Give him two horns and a steering wheel… he’s Bowser in Mario Kart.”
Kimmel continued, “And the truth is, Pete Hegseth is actually a handsome guy… on the outside. On the inside, he looks like the old lady from Weapons.” The comments came after reports said Hegseth blocked reporters from certain events amid the war.
In cases you were wondering . . . this is a photo that annoyed Pete Hegseth so much because he thought it was “unflattering” so he got the photographer barred. I encourage all of you to use it as often as possible. pic.twitter.com/1t1jWzG7rl
— Lew Anno Support#USA#NATO#Ukraine 24/2-22 (@anno1540) March 12, 2026
According to The Washington Post, photographers were shut out from the White House after they allegedly clicked disapproving pictures of the defense secretary at press briefings related to the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Kimmel said that the decision to limit photographers seems concerning because the nation is currently involved in a serious international conflict.
The talk show host also brought up an earlier controversy involving a makeup studio that was reportedly built inside the Pentagon for Hegseth. “Who would have ever guessed the guy who spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on a makeup studio might be a little bit self-absorbed?” Kimmel stated.
Although Hegseth has denied the existence of the controversial makeup studio, a Defense Department spokesperson told CBS News that the setup of the studio cost thousands of taxpayer dollars. The spokesperson added that Hegseth has since been doing his own makeup ahead of TV appearances instead of paying for a makeup artist.
Pete Hegseth ordered a makeup studio installed at the Pentagon for his TV appearances, CBS News reports.
So much for “government efficiency.” pic.twitter.com/7hL59ETQ8O
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) April 23, 2025
The issue with photographers links to broader concerns about press access. As Kimmel called it Hegseth’s “crusade against the free press,” critics began wondering if Hegseth is trying to limit how journalists cover the Defense Department.
In September 2025, the department introduced a new policy that required news organizations to agree to certain rules if they wanted access to briefings. The New York Times, The Associated Press and Fox News refused to sign.
The defense secretary has also faced criticism for how he communicates about the ongoing conflict with Iran. According to PBS, during a March 4 conference, Hegseth slammed reporters for focusing on civilian casualties and negative developments in the conflict.
“When a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it’s front-page news,” he said, adding, “I get it, the press only wants to make the president look bad – but try for once to report the reality.”
These repeated incidents have now led people to wonder more about the tension between the Defense Department and the media.
