As the Iran War continues, CBS’s Stephen Colbert hyped the idea on Tuesday that God is not listening to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Late Show host made his remarks while referencing recent comments from Pope Leo, but the historical and scriptural justification for their condemnation was highly selective. Colbert introduced a clip of Hegseth by lamenting, “our secretary of war crimes explained why it's okay to blow stuff up: 'Cause God likes it. 'Cause here he is last week at the Pentagon, praying.” The “secretary of war crimes” bit was made in reference to President Trump’s threats to hit Iranian electrical and desalination plants, both of which Iran has already hit. As it was, in the clip, Hegseth prayed, “Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation. Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy… We ask these things with bold confidence in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ.”   Stephen Colbert hypes the idea that God isn't listening to Pete Hegseth's prayers, " But our secretary of war crimes explained why it's okay to blow stuff up: 'Cause God likes it...I don't know what in the blue-eyed blonde baby Jesus Hegseth is talking about. Because that is not… pic.twitter.com/doFltZ4TTU — Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) April 1, 2026   Amid booing from the audience, Colbert reacted, “Yes, boo all you want, we all remember the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus said, ‘To him who strikes you on the one cheek, ask, 'Do you know where you are?" You're in the jungle, baby! You're gonna die!'" Moving on to the pope, Colbert brought out his Chicago accent and added, “I don't know what in the blue-eyed blonde baby Jesus Hegseth is talking about. Because that is not the Jesus I was raised with. And it's not the Jesus the pope was raised with either, because on Palm Sunday, Pope Leo responded. ‘Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, king of peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: Your hands are full of blood.’" Colbert wrapped up with a picture of Trump’s bruised hand, “Yeah. There it is. There it is. I've got to ask, 'Hands full of blood?' Who could that be? Oh, there you go. There it is.” At no point over the past month has anyone in the administration claimed this war is a Christian holy war. The fact that the U.S. is conducting operations alongside Israel and Iran is attacking other Muslim nations should be proof of that. Whether it was Pope Pius V at Lepanto, Jan III Sobieski of Poland before lifting the 1683 Siege of Vienna, Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, or Franklin Roosevelt during D-Day, leaders have frequently prayed to God asking for victory during history’s most critical moments. Still, the Bible says there is a time for peace and a time for war. The man who will soon be traveling to Middle-earth should know that. If Colbert wants to argue this is not a time for war, he should do that instead of trying to portray Christianity as a pacifist religion. Here is a transcript for the March 31 show: CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 3/31/2026 11:45 PM ET STEPHEN COLBERT: But our secretary of war crimes explained why it's okay to blow stuff up: 'Cause God likes it. 'Cause here he is last week at the Pentagon, praying. PETE HEGSETH [3/26/2026]: Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation. Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy. [jump cut] We ask these things with bold confidence in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ. COLBERT: Yes, yes, no, no. Yes, boo all you want, we all remember the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus said, "To him who strikes you on the one cheek, ask, 'Do you know where you are?' You're in the jungle, baby! You're gonna die!'" That's what Mitch used to do. I don't know what in the blue-eyed blonde baby Jesus Hegseth is talking about. Because that is not the Jesus I was raised with. And it's not the Jesus the pope was raised with either, because on Palm Sunday, Pope Leo responded. [Chicago accent] "Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, king of peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: Your hands are full of blood.’" Yeah. There it is. There it is. I've got to ask, "Hands full of blood?’ Who could that be? Oh, there you go. There it is.