“Late Show” host Stephen Colbert hit back at Sen. Lindsay Graham on Wednesday after he criticized President Biden for not taking action against Russia for a collision between one of its fighter jets and a U.S. drone over the Black Sea.
During an appearance on Fox News on Tuesday, the South Carolina Republican proceeded to ask, “What would Ronald Reagan do?”
“Well that’s easy, he would take Russian down by funneling crack into their neighborhoods,” Colbert said. “Educate yourself to that reality.”
The drone, known as MQ-9, was on a routine flight in international airspace when it was intercepted by two Russian fighter jets. According to Pentagon press secretary and Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, the jets dumped fuel on the drone several times and flew in a “reckless and unprofessional manner” before the collision.
“Did Russia just pee on our drone? They’re just bullying an inanimate object. “Hey nerd! Meet me under the bleachers after school. I’m going to beat up your bike!,” Colbert teased. “We haven’t seen this kind of hazing on a hunk of metal since the Cuban missile wedgie.”
The U.S. ended up ditching the damaged drone in the Black Sea. But Russia had an alternate story, arguing that the unmanned aircraft lost altitude and hit the water on its own and that fighter jets were scrambled to identify it.
“It was not our fault, drone ate bad sushi and fell out of sky window like meddling journalist,” Colbert joked.
John Kirby, national security council coordinator for strategic communications, told CNN that the White House does not believe the Russians’ story and that everything they say should be taken with a “huge grain of salt.”
“Yes, a huge grain of salt – or as a Russian soldiers call it: lunch!” Colbert quipped.
Watch the full “Late Show” monologue in the video above.
