Colin Jost storms 'SNL' stage as Pete Hegseth in fiery 'Operation kill everybody' parody

Colin Jost spoofed Hegseth in a sketch where he stormed on stage WWE‑style and mocked the Defense secretary with energy drinks and alcoholism claims
PUBLISHED DEC 7, 2025
‘Operation kill everybody’ line from Colin Jost sparked laughs on 'SNL', as the comedian used humor to take a jab at the Defense secretary's alleged missteps (Saturday Night Live/YouTube, Getty Images)
‘Operation kill everybody’ line from Colin Jost sparked laughs on 'SNL', as the comedian used humor to take a jab at the Defense secretary's alleged missteps (Saturday Night Live/YouTube, Getty Images)


NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: ‘Saturday Night Live’ host Colin Jost appeared on the latest segment as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday, December 6.

The late-night comedy showcase host entered the stage in a typical WWE style, shouting, “shut the h**l up! Shut it! Cut the music!” as he slammed an energy drink on the floor after drinking it. 

Colin Jost as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on 'SNL' (Saturday Night Live/YouTube)
Colin Jost as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on 'SNL' (Saturday Night Live/YouTube)

‘SNL’ pokes fun at Pete Hegseth’s alleged struggles with alcoholism 

In the latest ‘SNL’ episode, Colin Jost appeared as the Defense secretary, as he answered press questions as part of the act. During the segment, a reporter asked him about the allegations about the September boat strikes.

Jost as Hegseth responded angrily, noting “that kind of cruel, heartless act” had no place in “Operation: Kill Everybody.” The skit then poked fun at his alleged past struggles with alcohol, as Jost said that he was so “jacked up” after the initial strike that he had to “make an emergency call” to his sponsor.

“Sorry, a guy I met at an anonymous meeting, so I don’t drink something that I like and I want,” he added. 

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - FEBRUARY 13: U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth holds his closing press conference at the end of defense ministers' meetings at NATO headquarters on February 13, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. NATO Defence Ministers are convening in Brussels for a meeting chaired by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Hegseth marked the first visit to NATO by a member of the new Trump administration. High on the agenda for the allies will be ascertaining how the U.S. intends to influence the trajectory of the war in Ukraine, as the conflict nears the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. (Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images)
\Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds his closing press conference at the end of defense ministers' meetings at NATO headquarters on February 13, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

Sarah Sherman portrayed former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz, who asked about the kind of people who were allegedly targeted during the strike.

Meanwhile, Ashlay Padilla played the role of a reporter and called the faux-Hegseth a “12-year-old playing army,” words reportedly used by Mark Kelly to describe the Defense secretary.

James Austin Johnson portrayed Donald Trump, who was seen snoring during the set. Johnson, as Trump later came in Hegseth’s support and said that he stood by Pete. He also added that nothing could change his mind, unless it could hurt Trump in any way.

“In which case, I’ll throw him under one of Mamdani’s free buses,” he said. 

Colin Jost addresses Trump being awarded FIFA Peace Award (Saturday Night Live/YouTube)
Colin Jost addresses Trump being awarded the FIFA Peace Award (Saturday Night Live/YouTube)

Colin Jost claims FIFA invented ‘fake peace prize’ for Trump

In the same episode, as part of ‘Saturday Night Live Weekend Update’, Colin Jost and Michael Che appeared as news anchors.

Jost discussed Donald Trump being awarded the FIFA Peace Prize and said that although the president had yet to win a Nobel Prize, FIFA “invented a fake peace prize” in his honor. 

He added that this was why the trophy showed Trump’s “gnarled hands dragging Earth into hell.”

The talk show also addressed Trump’s MRI results and claimed that the president said he would release the results of the scan, but that he needed “a little more time” to write “of genius” after the word “stroke.” 

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