Whether you call it the Department of War or still prefer to call it the Department of Defense, the military has used the same eagle logo since 1949, but NBC’s Saturday Night Live landed firmly in the realm of fake news on Saturday as it alleged Secretary Pete Hegseth’s design has “a Nazi vibe.”
During the cold open, Colin just portrayed Hegseth addressing sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln, “I also unveiled the new logo for the Department of War. Yeah, pretty sick, right? Check that out. Huh? Yeah.”
Saturday Night Live's Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost) claims the military eagle logo that has been around since 1949 is actually a Nazi symbol, "It's an American eagle with a Nazi vibe. Okay?" (1/2) pic.twitter.com/k560BFzbl2
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) October 13, 2026
In real life, the “controversy” over the logo occurred because of a speech Hegseth gave at the Air Force Academy, but during SNL's version, Andrew Dismukes played a sailor who asked, “Sorry, is that a Nazi eagle?”
The new logo is different in some respects, but the eagle clutching three arrows is the same that has been in place since 1949. The DOW/DOD eagle is also strikingly similar to the eagle that officers at the O-6 paygrade wear. It is, simply put, not a Nazi logo.
Nevertheless, Fake Hegseth replied, “It's an American eagle with a Nazi vibe. Okay?” and Dismukes’s sailor held firm, “Just looks identical to the Nazi eagle.”
Fake Hegseth didn’t rebut the claim. Instead, Jost just huffed, “The only eagle you should be worried about is your mom spread-eagle on my bed right now. Yeah, paints a picture. Now I realize you all returned home with a ship full of weapons-grade diarrhea, but your health is our utmost concern, starting now.”
Later, during the weekend update, Jost ditched the Hegseth impression, but still doubled down on the falsehood, “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is being criticized for a new Department of War logo that features an angular eagle similar to that used by the Nazis.”
Later, during weekend update, Jost doubled down, "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is being criticized for new Department of War logo that features an angular eagle similar to that used by a Nazi. Hegseth asked people how upset they were about it on a scale of here to here" pic.twitter.com/o2hXNwaY9G
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) October 13, 2026
Mimicking a Nazi salute, Jost also claimed, “Hegseth asked people how upset they were about it on a scale of here to here.”
If Pete Hegseth is a Nazi or Nazi-adjacent for the logo, then every secretary from Louis Johnson through Lloyd Austin is also. Of course, that is ridiculous, but then again, SNL is a ridiculous show.
Here is a transcript for the October 10 show:
NBC Saturday Night Live
10/10/2026
11:32 PM ET
PETE HEGSETH/COLIN JOST: I also unveiled the new logo for the Department of War. Yeah, Pretty sick, right? Check that out. Huh? Yeah.
ANDREW DISMUKES/NAVY SAILOR: Sorry, is that a Nazi eagle?
JOST: It's an American eagle with a Nazi vibe. Okay?
DISMUKES: Just looks identical to the Nazi eagle.
HEGSETH: The only eagle you should be worried about is your mom spread-eagle on my bed right now. Yeah, paints a picture. Now I realize you all returned home with a ship full of weapons-grade diarrhea, but your health is our utmost concern, starting now.
…
10/11/2026
12:23 AM
JOST: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is being criticized for a new Department of War logo that features an angular eagle similar to that used by the Nazis. Hegseth asked people how upset they were about it on a scale of here to here. Don't GIF it guys.
