USS Fitzgerald Leaders Punished; Crew Is Praised After Collision With Cargo Ship

USS Fitzgerald Leaders Punished; Crew Is Praised After Collision With Cargo Ship

Late-night host Stephen Colbert gave his condolences to the victims of the terror attack in Barcelona Thursday, and thanked President Trump’s appropriate response to it — which he said lasted approximately 45 minutes.

“This is a heartbreaking reminder that evil is real and the United States is not alone in fighting it,” Colbert said on the “Late Show” Thursday night. “I was sincerely happy to see that kind of moral leadership from our president... for about 45 minutes.”

“The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!” Trump tweeted after the van attack left 14 dead and scores more injured.

Colbert read Trump’s first tweet condemning the attack, and led the crowd in clapping for Trump on his “simple, dignified, presidential” response.

Colbert then brought up Trump’s second tweet alluding to General John Pershing executing Muslims in the Philippines, a highly discredited myth about the general dipping the bullets in pig’s blood. He cited historians discrediting the story and saying that it is so inaccurate that they don’t know why it is still circulating.

“Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!” Trump had tweeted.

Colbert joked that “no wonder his kids are so messed up” after doing an impression of Trump telling the Pershing story as a bedtime story for his kids.

The late-night host then turned around the Pershing statement against Trump by using a quote from the general: “A competent leader can get efficient service from poor troops, while on the contrary an incapable leader can demoralize the best of troops.”