Jimmy Kimmel mocks Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's Quantico speech

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a spoken-word address to troops at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Wednesday, in which he outlined a new initiative called Project Meridian and listed three individuals he said would lead the effort. The three names mentioned were Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Jimmy Kimmel aired a clip of the speech on his Thursday show and pointed out that Hegseth stumbled over several words. > "You know, he practiced that in the mirror all morning and still screwed it up. I mean, imagine writing that out," Kimmel said.

Kimmel also noted a discrepancy between Hegseth’s earlier statement that the project would exclude certain groups and the inclusion of the three named leaders, describing the latter as contradictory. He further mocked the appearance of Luckey, showing a photograph of the Anduril Industries founder in casual attire.

The segment highlighted criticism that Hegseth’s broader reorganization of senior military leadership has prompted the departure of experienced officers, particularly women and people of color, as part of his effort to reduce what he describes as “diversity and inclusion” initiatives.