When you’re a former National Security Advisor who lied to the FBI about your relationship with Russian operatives, one easy way to prove your patriotism would be to learn the words to the Pledge of Allegiance. Unfortunately, Michael Flynn—who holds the distinction of shortest-serving NSA advisor in the history of the job—didn’t get the memo. And Jimmy Kimmel wasn’t about to let it pass without comment.
While attending a Bikers for Trump rally in South Carolina on Sunday, the disgraced military man decided a great way to energize the room would be to recite the Pledge of Allegiance as a group. But, as Kimmel pointed out during his Monday night monologue: “For an ex-military guy who wraps his misdeeds tightly in the flag, he sure did have trouble coming up with the words to the Pledge of Allegiance.”
The clip, which starts around the 6:30 mark in the video above, finds a befuddled Flynn trying to keep up with the public recitation he suggested. If you want the CliffsNotes version, Flynn’s rendition of the pledge goes something like this:
“I pledge of allegiance…” (nope, no “of” necessary)
“To the flag of the United States of America (ok, now we’re cooking)
“Individ…” (ouch!)
Fortunately for Flynn, Kimmel conceded that there are a lot of people who probably don’t know the pledge, then took to the streets to find out (he was right). Still, it didn’t lessen the hilarity (or the irony) of Flynn’s bungle—if only because he made such a production out of the whole room delivering a group recital of the pledge in the first place.
In the lead-up to his lyrical butchering, Flynn—who was pardoned by his good buddy Donald Trump—told the crowd how “I want you to hear, not just listen. I want you to hear every single word to the Pledge of Allegiance. That is our pledge to each other, that is our pledge to this country.”
Still, it’s got to be better than prison.
