🔗 Share this article

Comedy show hosts this week trained their comedic fire on former President Donald Trump, lambasting his employment of a derogatory term and what they described as feeble efforts to alleviate growing questions about his mental fitness.

The Daily Show's Scathing Critique

Beginning his monologue, Jon Stewart focused on a controversial post in which Trump referred to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz with a widely condemned ableist term. "On Thanksgiving?!" Stewart exclaimed. "Did you mix it up with Festivus?"

When questioned by reporters if he felt any remorse, Trump is said to have intensified his attack, stating there was "a genuine problem" with the governor.

"The issue is with him? With him?" Stewart responded. "You were sitting with your family at Thanksgiving, belly full of turkey and pie, enveloped in the love of your extended crime family, but your first thought was to Truth a slur at Tim Walz? And there’s something wrong with him?"

The host then turned to Trump's peculiar account of a recently revealed medical scan. In an effort to downplay worries, Trump claimed he had "zero knowledge" what part of his body was examined, suggesting it "couldn't have been his brain" because he "took a cognitive test."

"That’s not physically possible," Stewart shot back. "To have no idea, it’s not possible. What could you possibly say to the doctor? ‘Wait, stop, don’t tell me. I want to find out at my scan unveiling celebration.’"

He continued, "Good grief, man, were you not the least bit interested? When they laid you down in a tube for 30 to 45 minutes, you didn’t want to know what they might be doing? Or did you just think to yourself, ‘What a loud tanning bed’?"

Stewart further ridiculed Trump's assertion of a "flawless result" on the scan. "That’s how they score the MRIs," he joked. "You either get a big stamp, ‘Perfect,’ or you get in red ink, ‘We need to talk.’"

The Late Show's Satirical Take

On his own program, Stephen Colbert pointed out growing discontent among some former supporters. "Maga folks are starting to notice that Trump treats them like livestock," he said, citing criticism over funding a gilded event space over addressing economic issues.

"In other news, Trump celebrated Thanksgiving in his customary fashion – with racism," Colbert quipped, alluding to an inflammatory post from the weekend. "Amidst all of that nonsense," he recapped, the president employed the ableist slur against Governor Walz.

After Walz challenged him to "Release the MRI results," Trump promised do so, despite his stated unawareness of what was scanned.

"Well, here's an idea: maybe the part that’s broken is the part that’s meant to retain that information," Colbert noted.

He then poked fun at the subsequent official explanation—a doctor's letter stating the MRI was for preventative screening. "Alright, that's reasonable," Colbert said. "People his age also benefit from retiring, so … can we get that ordered next?"

Jimmy Kimmel's Direct Criticism

Jimmy Kimmel also condemned Trump's use of the slur. "See, he can be presidential when he wants to be!" he joked. "I wonder why he didn’t get that Nobel peace prize. It makes no sense."

Regarding Trump's follow-up comment that he thinks "there is a problem" with Walz, Kimmel was blunt: "another bold statement from the president of the eighth grade."

Kimmel also touched on Trump's claims of unprecedented approval ratings. "This indicates it’s not just books he can’t read," Kimmel said, noting survey data showing high negative ratings. "You can find gas station bathrooms on Yelp with better reviews than Donald Trump right now."

The host concluded by highlighting Trump's pledge to pardon a convicted former Honduran president. "Now some have pointed out the unbelievable hypocrisy of Trump tough on drugs in one instance, while simultaneously pardoning a man who shipped a million pounds of cocaine to this country," said Kimmel. "Such individuals are just haters and losers, you know? Relax!"

"When he was running, Trump made it very clear: his top priorities were a) pardoning drug kingpins and b) constructing a venue to host formal dances," he added. "Commitments stated, promises kept."