Jon Stewart Urges Trump Defenders to Stop Normalizing Power Grabs in Monday Monologue

Jon Stewart used his Monday monologue on The Daily Show to challenge supporters who defend President Donald Trump by reframing his conduct as the rule of law. He urged them not to bend over backwards to accommodate what he described as an authoritarian power grab, and he cited Trump’s reported push to pressure Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue political foes as evidence the president would use all levers of government to punish opponents. Stewart declared, 'He does not give a f**k anymore! He's saying it straight up! Trump is saying, The people like dictators. Trump is saying, I'll use all the levers of government at my disposal to accomplish that goal.'

Beyond the Trump frame, Stewart celebrated Jimmy Kimmel’s expected return to late night and mocked Disney’s decision to lift the indefinite suspension of Kimmel’s show after threats from FCC Chair Brendan Carr tied to conservative responses to Charlie Kirk’s killing. He also referenced the Hulu cancellation chatter, and quipped that viewers had launched a campaign to cancel Hulu while secretly watching four seasons of Only Murders in the Building. The moment underscored how pop culture skirmishes are increasingly intertwined with debates over political power and media influence.

The monologue adds to a broader conversation about accountability and the boundaries of executive power in U.S. politics. HuffPost covered Stewart’s remarks, framing them as part of ongoing scrutiny of presidential power and the role of public criticism in democracy. The Daily Show, now in its two-decade stretch, continues to provide a barometer for partisan rhetoric and constitutional debates that shape political discourse in the United States.