1721029080-0%2FBeFunky-collage-(7)1721029080-0.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Jon Stewart slams political violence, Trump's parade, and U.S. contradictions on Israel-Iran conflict
On the June 17 episode of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart delivered an intense monologue dissecting a weekend marked by political violence, foreign tensions, and domestic unrest. From a lackluster military parade to escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran and deadly political attacks in Minnesota, Stewart spared no one in his scathing critique.
He began with Donald Trump's military-themed birthday celebration, mocking the parade's underwhelming display of squeaky tanks and robotic dogs. Stewart contrasted the event with the widespread 'No Kings March' protests, noting how the demonstrations eclipsed the parade in scale and meaning.
Turning to the Israel-Iran conflict, Stewart addressed Israel's recent strikes and Iran's retaliatory attacks. He criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated alarmism over Iran's nuclear capabilities and questioned the U.S.'s role in the region. Highlighting contradictions, Stewart pointed out how MAGA leaders denounce foreign wars while cheering on militarized crackdowns at home.
The most sobering segment focused on political violence in Minnesota, where a state House leader and her husband were killed and a state senator was wounded. Stewart criticized the media's focus on the alleged shooter's political affiliations, calling instead for broader attention to the country's mass shooting epidemic. He condemned the inconsistent government response—swift action on border security but little movement on gun reform—and slammed Senator Mike Lee for politicizing the tragedy through insensitive social media posts.
Stewart's commentary struck a chord with viewers overwhelmed by recent national and international turmoil. His anger, laced with biting satire, echoed the frustration of many Americans seeking accountability and meaningful change.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Iran, Israel trade fresh air attacks as Trump weighs US involvement
WASHINGTON/DUBAI/OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Iran and Israel traded further air attacks on Thursday as President Donald Trump kept the world guessing about whether the United States would join Israel's bombardment of Iranian nuclear facilities. A week of Israeli air and missile strikes against its major rival has wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military command, damaged its nuclear capabilities and killed hundreds of people, while Iranian retaliatory strikes have killed two dozen civilians in Israel. The worst-ever conflict between the rivals has raised fears that it will draw in world powers and rock regional stability already undermined by the spillover effects of the Gaza war. Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Wednesday, Trump declined to say if he had made any decision on whether to join Israel's air campaign. 'I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do,' he said. Trump in later remarks said Iranian officials wanted to come to Washington for a meeting and that 'we may do that.' But he added, 'It's a little late' for such talks. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rebuked Trump's earlier call for Iran to surrender in a recorded speech played on television, his first appearance since Friday. The Americans 'should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,' he said. 'The Iranian nation will not surrender.' Iran denies it is seeking nuclear weapons and says its program is for peaceful purposes only. The International Atomic Energy Agency said last week Tehran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years. The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain plan to hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday in Geneva to urge Iran to return to the negotiating table, a German diplomatic source told Reuters. But while diplomatic efforts continue, some residents of Tehran, a city of 10 million people, on Wednesday jammed highways out of the city as they sought sanctuary from intensified Israeli airstrikes. Arezou, a 31-year-old Tehran resident, told Reuters by phone that she had made it out of the city to the nearby resort town of Lavasan. 'My friend's house in Tehran was attacked and her brother was injured. They are civilians,' she said. 'Why are we paying the price for the regime's decision to pursue a nuclear programme?' The Wall Street Journal said Trump had told senior aides he approved attack plans on Iran but was holding off on giving the final order to see if Tehran would abandon its nuclear program. Senior U.S. officials are preparing for the possibility of a strike on Iran in the coming days, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Drone attack Early on Thursday, air defences were activated in Tehran, intercepting drones on the outskirts of the capital, the semi-official SNN news agency reported. Iranian news agencies also reported it had arrested 18 'enemy agents' who were building drones for Israeli attacks in the northeastern city of Mashhad. Israel's military said sirens sounded in northern Israel and in the Jordan Valley on Thursday and that it had intercepted two drones launched from Iran. The Iranian missile salvoes mark the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict that a significant number of projectiles fired from Iran have penetrated defences, killing Israelis in their homes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a video released by his office on Wednesday, said Israel was 'progressing step by step' towards eliminating threats posed by Iran's nuclear sites and ballistic missile arsenal. 'We are hitting the nuclear sites, the missiles, the headquarters, the symbols of the regime,' Netanyahu said. Israel, which is not a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that. Netanyahu also thanked Trump, 'a great friend of the state of Israel,' for standing by its side in the conflict, saying the two were in continuous contact. Trump has veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the war to suggesting the United States might join it. In social media posts on Tuesday, he mused about killing Khamenei. Russian President Vladimir Putin, asked what his reaction would be if Israel did kill Iran's Supreme Leader with the assistance of the United States, said on Thursday: 'I do not even want to discuss this possibility. I do not want to.' Putin said all sides should look for ways to end hostilities in a way that ensured both Iran's right to peaceful nuclear power and Israel's right to the unconditional security of the Jewish state. A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options that included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear installations. Since Friday, Iran has fired around 400 missiles at Israel, some 40 of which have pierced air defences, killing 24 people, all of them civilians, according to Israeli authorities. Iran has reported at least 224 deaths in Israeli attacks, mostly civilians, but has not updated that toll for days.
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Azma praises PM, Field Marshal for showcasing Pakistan as a strong country
LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has said the Prime Minister and his government have showcased Pakistan as a strong and powerful nation even in difficult times. 'Today, the world is compelled to engage with Pakistan—it is no longer Pakistan that waits for phone calls or invites,' she said. Azma maintained that Field Marshal General Asim Munir has earned his respect from God Almighty. Under his leadership, the Pakistan Army has secured a major victory against India. The U.S. President hosting him for a luncheon is undoubtedly an honor. Today, the world is aligning with Pakistan's stance. When Pakistan downed the Rafale jets, the share prices of the manufacturer plummeted. Although Trump was considered very close to Modi, the tables have turned, she added. Before the Army Chief's visit to Washington, a whole campaign was launched with protests staged there, she said. Initially, propaganda was spread claiming there was no official invitation, and he went on his own. PTI should be ashamed of this behaviour. Decisions about Pakistan are made in Pakistan, whether by the Field Marshal or the Prime Minister—they make these decisions together. When it is a mutual invitation, both attend; when it's individual, only one goes, she said. Azma Bokhari further said that everyone knows where PTI founder's children are being raised. Earlier, he used the excuse that he hadn't met with officials and thus could not comment on the Iran-Israel war. Now that he has met them, he has instructed his entire party to remain silent, she said. Azma said the Israeli and Indian media have openly stated that the PTI founder is the most suitable option for them. Their media explicitly claims 'our Imran Khan is better.' We all have an emotional attachment to Iran. Iran is facing aggression, yet figures like Raja Nasir Abbas remain silent—perhaps also instructed by the PTI founder to remain quiet. Azma Bokhari said the Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has increased the budgetary allocations for all sectors by over 30%. Education, healthcare, agriculture, and law and order are top priorities for Maryam Nawaz. A significant amount has also been allocated for youth and women-focused relief schemes, she said. Maryam Nawaz has not allocated any funds for inciting the youth against the state or for running campaigns against institutions. Instead, she has initiated multi-billion-rupee programs for scholarships, laptops, and easy business loans for young people, she said. Like a caring mother, Maryam Nawaz wants to see the children of Punjab progress and succeed. Unlike others, she does not sell dreams of 10 million jobs and 5 million homes, Azma said. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Dar tells Senate: Pakistan, other OIC member states slam Israeli aggression against Iran
ISLAMABAD: Twenty countries, including Pakistan, that are the members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have joined hands in support of Iran by strongly denouncing the 'ongoing military aggression of Israel against Iran,' Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar informed the Upper House of the Parliament on Wednesday. In this context, the foreign ministers of Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have issued a joint statement against Israel, and in support of Iran, said Dar, who also holds the positions of Foreign Minister, and Leader of the House in Senate. The joint statement affirmed the 'categorical rejection and condemnation of Israel's recent attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 13th June 2025, and any actions that contravene international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, while emphasising the necessity of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, adhering to the principles of good neighbourliness, and the peaceful settlement of disputes,' Dar said. The statement, as read out by the Deputy PM in the Senate, affirmed the 'imperative need to halt Israeli hostilities against Iran, which come during a time of increasing tension in the Middle East, and to work towards de-escalation, to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire and restoration of calm, while expressing great concern regarding this dangerous escalation, which threatens to have serious consequences on the peace and stability of the entire region.' Speaking on the floor of the House, Raja Nasir Abbas from Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) said, Iran is fighting not only its war but the war of the entire Muslim world. 'It's time to rise above verbal rhetoric and practically support Iran,' he said. Meanwhile, the Senate continued discussion on the proposed federal budget. Abbas demanded that relief be given to the agriculture sector, farmers in particular, in the budget. Parliamentary Leader Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sherry Rehman demanded incentivising the electric vehicles to counter air pollution. Fawzia Arshad from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) criticised increasing the taxes in the proposed federal budget instead of broadening the tax base. PPP's Qurat-Ul-Ain Marri slammed the imposition of taxes on solar panels and electric vehicles in the proposed federal budget for the upcoming financial year 2025-26. Danesh Kumar from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) regretted the allocation of 'very low' budget for minorities and demanded increasing this budget. The House was adjourned till Thursday (today). Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
