On The Late Show Tuesday night, former Transportation SecretaryPete Buttigieg and host Stephen Colbert tore into PresidentDonald Trump's first presidential address to Congress — one critics have called the most partisan speech in a joint session of Congress — calling out his chaotic rhetoric, lack of substantive policy, and his administration's deepening ties to authoritarianism.
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In a conversation that was equal parts analysis and sharp-witted takedown, Buttigieg offered his assessment of the state of the country under Trump. "The State of the Union is roiling," he said, highlighting the president's role in sowing division instead of governing.
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Buttigieg's assessment of the nearly two-hour speech came as commentators across the media landscape questioned its substance. In a New York Times guest essay, a panel of nine opinion writers described the address as "90-plus minutes of bad moments," with Trump painting himself as the leader of a so-called revolution that had supposedly "restored free speech," saved American automakers, and ushered in "the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country." The speech, filled with sweeping promises—including balancing the budget, ending the war in Ukraine by siding with Russia, and somehow bringing back "true democracy"—was met with skepticism, even from those who've heard it all before.
Trump's obsession with culture war distractions was on full display in his address. He devoted time to criticizing the previous administration for allocating taxpayer money to scientific research, specifically projects involving animal studies. Trump singled out expenditures to study fertility in what he called "transgender mice" and to investigate the effects of testosterone therapy on female rats concerning drug overdose susceptibility.
In reality, transgenic mice—not transgender mice—are genetically modified to contain foreign DNA, often used in medical research to study human diseases and potential treatments. But Trump, apparently confusing the scientific term transgenic with transgender, declared that the Biden administration had spent "$8 million to make mice transgender."
Buttigieg, for one, wasn't buying it. "It was classic Trump," he said. "There was a lot of darkness and it was a lot of dazzle, but there was very, very little about the things that most affect our lives." He pointed out that while most Americans consider inflation and economic security their top concerns, Trump barely addressed them. "They're going to talk about Greenland and about pronouns and about mice, and not about what's going to actually make our lives better."
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Colbert and Buttigieg then turned to one of the speech's most glaring contradictions—Trump's newly imposed tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and China. While the president claimed he was saving American jobs, Buttigieg warned the result would be higher consumer prices. "By the end of this week, you're going to go to the store and find some things are more expensive because you are paying this tax," Buttigieg said. "Let's be clear what a tariff is—it's a tax."
And the kicker? Trump doesn't care. "If eggs are ten bucks and you're a billionaire, that's a little disturbance for you but not for most people," Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg also attacked Trump's foreign policy—or lack thereof—calling it "upside down." Six weeks into his term, Trump has already managed to alienate allies and embolden adversaries, with his recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscoring that shift. After sending Senators J.D. Vance and Josh Hawley to deliver a thinly veiled message, Trump abruptly cut all military aid to Ukraine, handing Russian President Vladimir Putin a geopolitical victory on a silver platter.
"Canada is our friend. Russia is our adversary. And he's got us fighting Canada and helping Russia," Buttigieg said bluntly.
Colbert didn't mince words either. "It seemed like they were there as advocates for Vladimir Putin."
Buttigieg agreed, pointing out Trump's long admiration for authoritarian leaders. "Obviously, there is an affection and an admiration that he has for autocrats around the world, including Putin, who's a ruthless, murderous dictator," he said.
While the administration's foreign policy decisions were alarming, Buttigieg and Colbert tackled Trump's growing attacks on civil liberties. Ahead of Trump's speech, the president vowed to cut federal funding to universities that allow "illegal protests."
Colbert asked, "I'm sorry, this is America. What the hell is an illegal protest?"
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Buttigieg called the move a dangerous escalation in Trump's authoritarian playbook and directly challenged conservatives who claim to stand for individual freedoms. "We have to stand up to this," he said. "And by 'we,' I don't just mean Democrats. Freedom-loving conservatives, libertarians—where are you? If you think the Clean Air Act is tyranny, what do you have to say about the head of your government threatening to expel or imprison people who protest in disagreement with his politics?"
Trump's hostility toward LGBTQ+ rights was also on full display in his address. At one point, he bragged about rolling back protections and human rights for LGBTQ+ Americans—something he has consistently treated as an applause line. Buttigieg, one of the most high-profile out politicians in the country, made clear that the administration's targeting of LGBTQ+ rights is part of a broader moral crisis.
"Our nation has always been at its best when it widens the circle of belonging and equality," Buttigieg said. "And our nation's been at its worst when we've been discriminating."
Colbert highlighted that, for many LGBTQ+ Americans, one of the most pressing concerns is whether the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling that secured marriage equality. Buttigieg admitted that, given the court's recent track record, he's worried. "They certainly don't seem terribly concerned about allowing precedents to stand—even recent precedents. So how can we not be worried?"
As the discussion wrapped up, Colbert asked Buttigieg about his political future, particularly given his family's residence in Michigan, where a U.S. Senate seat will be open in 2026. "I have not decided what that means professionally, whether that means running for office soon or not," Buttigieg said. "But I will make myself useful, I hope."
Since stepping down as transportation secretary, Buttigieg said he has focused on family life, spending more time with his husband, Chasten, and their two children.
"The blessings of middle-class, peacetime life in America are pretty great," Buttigieg said. "And so I've been making the most of that even as I'm watching what's going on in our country and determined to do something about it."
Watch Pete Buttigieg and Stephen Colbert discuss how a tariff is a tax below.
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
