CBS’s Stephen Colbert welcomed former Secretary of State John Kerry to Tuesday’s edition of The Late Show to discuss the latest developments with Iran. However, what was intended as an informational segment for the audience turned into a segment that featured Kerry misrepresenting two crucial facts and acting as if he were the comedian.
Kerry was giving the Trump administration some unsolicited advice when he urged them to "take time to be reasonable in ways that will not encourage them to say, ‘Oh, you just, you know, you took a ship over and we, on the other hand, said we are going to open the Strait of Hormuz,’ which, by the way, have never been shut in any conflict that we've had or difference we’ve had with Iran.”
First, despite Iran saying the strait was open, it was still demanding vessels pay a toll, so it was not actually open in the way it must be. Second, to say the strait has “never” been shut or disrupted is untrue. The U.S. Navy had to run escort missions in the area during the Iran-Iraq War after several attacks on oil tankers. Iran also mined ships during Trump’s first term.
After John Kerry spins "Take time to be reasonable in ways that will not encourage them to say 'Oh, you just took a ship over and we, on the other hand, said we are going open the Strait of Hormuz,' which, by the way, have never been shut any conflict that we've had or difference… pic.twitter.com/dHGCkx8tVo
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) April 22, 2026
Nevertheless, Kerry rolled on, “So, today Donald Trump, by ripping up the agreement and pulling out, has actually put us in a worse place than we were previously because the one thing we feared by pulling it out is no agreement; war is probably almost inevitable, and literally, they have made it inevitable by giving Iran no freedom to move in a different direction.”
Colbert was not interested in correcting the record. Instead, he was dismayed that the U.S. would conduct an act of war while at war, “And also by bombing them. That would be one of the ways to make war inevitable. Now, President Trump said today he would extend the ceasefire until Iran submits a unified proposal and discussions are concluded. He also said he continued the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an act of war. Are those the best ways to negotiate? In other words, if you start, as I said before, if you start with an act of war, is that the best way to start peace talks?”
After Kerry briefly answered "Obviously not,” Colbert continued, “Though, technically, if you're not at war there is no need for a peace talk, so he's got a point there. Would you like to apologize?”
Kerry then retorted, “No, I think what he's doing now is challenging the validity of his FIFA World Peace Prize.”
A sarcastic Colbert shot back, “Don't even joke about that. That is sacred, sir. That is sacred.”
Still feeling like a funny man, Kerry replied, “But, I mean, it's a great thing if we are able to—it's a good thing for America if neither Iran nor Kash Patel are getting bombed.”
Getting more solemn, Kerry added, “And I think—so, I really think you have to get on a different track. This war did not have to be fought, and it is dangerous. There are greater dangers now than there were previously, and the greatest duty of the president of the United States is to be able to look into the eyes of parents of young people who you're going to send off to fight in your war, and make sure you made it clear to them there's a purpose, there's a clarity, you know exactly what the goals are, and you know what you're asking people to sacrifice for. That did not happen here. So, that is a failed test of the presidency.”
Lost in this whole conversation was the fact that the U.S. has been blockading Iranian shipping while Iran has been blockading neutral shipping. The U.S. wasn’t going to sit back and watch Iran have unfettered access to the strait while it charged others a toll forever.
Here is a transcript for the April 21 show:
CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
4/21/2026
11:57 PM ET
JOHN KERRY: And you have to put yourself into the shoes of the people you're negotiating with and you've got to understand their history, where they're coming from. And so, you know, I've never been asked, but my advice to the administration is, you know, take time to set up your agenda. Take time to be reasonable in ways that will not encourage them to say, “Oh, you just, you know, you took a ship over and we, on the other hand, said we are going to open the Strait of Hormuz,” which, by the way, have never been shut in any conflict that we've had or difference we’ve had with Iran. So, today Donald Trump, by ripping up the agreement and pulling out, has actually put us in a worse place than we were previously because the one thing we feared by pulling it out is no agreement; war is probably almost inevitable, and literally, they have made it inevitable by giving Iran no freedom to move in a different direction.
STEPHEN COLBERT: And also by bombing them. That would be one of the ways to make war inevitable. Now, President Trump said today he would extend the ceasefire until Iran submits a unified proposal and discussions are concluded. He also said he continued the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an act of war. Are those the best ways to negotiate? In other words, if you start, as I said before, if you start with an act of war, is that the best way to start peace talks?
KERRY: Obviously not.
COLBERT: Though, technically, if you're not at war there is no need for a peace talk, so he's got a point there. Would you like to apologize?
KERRY: No, I think what he's doing now is challenging the validity of his FIFA World Peace Prize.
COLBERT: Don't even joke about that. That is sacred, sir. That is sacred.
Mr. Kerry: But, I mean, it's a great thing if we are able to—it's a good thing for America if neither Iran nor Kash Patel are getting bombed. And I think—so, I really think you have to get on a different track. This war did not have to be fought, and it is dangerous. There are greater dangers now than there were previously, and the greatest duty of the president of the United States is to be able to look into the eyes of parents of young people who you're going to send off to fight in your war, and make sure you made it clear to them there's a purpose, there's a clarity, you know exactly what the goals are, and you know what you're asking people to sacrifice for. That did not happen here. So, that is a failed test of the presidency.
