John Oliver Turns Midterm Episode on Pete Hegseth, Urges Lawmakers to Remove Him

John Oliver used his Last Week Tonight episode after the midterm elections to attack Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of War, and urged newly elected lawmakers to remove him from office.

The episode is titled "Midterm Results & Pete Hegseth" and is dated November 8, 2026. The show airs Sundays at 11pm on HBO.

Oliver said the Secretary of War oversees an agency with a budget of more than $1 trillion and 3.4 million employees. He then listed what he called failures, starting with the Signalgate messaging controversy, boat strikes in the Caribbean and the war in Iran.

He also cited Hegseth's decision to fire the top lawyers for the Army, Navy and Air Force. Oliver said Hegseth declined to discipline helicopter pilots who flew too low over Kid Rock's house, and later fired the general who backed an investigation into the flyover.

Oliver pointed to a moment during an ax-throwing demonstration on Fox News. He said Hegseth missed the target, and the ax hit a drummer from a marching band standing in the background.

The segment also showed Hegseth's "no fatties" speech, which Oliver criticised. He said Hegseth posts videos of himself working out with servicemembers but cannot do a proper kettlebell swing, a weight-lifting move that uses a single heavy weight swung between the legs.

Oliver said that when the Pentagon was asked about Hegseth's condemnation of diversity, its official response was "The secretary is absolutely correct on this issue." He also said a Pentagon spokesman, asked whether there was anything else, replied "Deport John Oliver."

Oliver's segment is a mix of comedy and political argument. He has said in past interviews that he combines the two on purpose, and this episode followed that pattern. Earlier in 2025, the show had covered the Signalgate controversy too, when Oliver said the administration had brought "another week of chaos."

For viewers, the episode is a single long segment in a comedy show.