Jon Stewart: ‘Classic' Trump distractions barrage won't quell MAGA Epstein ‘revolt'
'Surprisingly, MAGA [Make America Great Again] world, for the first time in memory, isn't just slavishly acquiescing to Trump's reality distortion field,' Stewart said of the Epstein controversy on Monday's episode of 'The Daily Show.'
Trump and key officials in his administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, have faced a barrage of criticism from some of his most ardent supporters over the handling of files related to Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who was found dead in his prison cell in 2019.
'So MAGA world is now in open revolt. You want to know how bad it's getting out there? They're literally burning their MAGA army uniforms,' Stewart said.
'Clearly, telling your base to just forget about Epstein isn't working,' the Comedy Central host said, noting a recent Truth Social post by Trump urging his followers to 'not waste time and energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.'
'But if you know Trump, he can always just pivot to the classic Trump distraction: Throw something outlandish out there and watch the dogs chase the squirrel,' Stewart said.
''I'm gonna invade Greenland. I'm gonna bomb Iran,'' Stewart continued, mimicking the president.
'He's gonna try something big,' Stewart said, before cuing cable news clips about Trump calling comedian and longtime celebrity foe Rosie O'Donnell a 'threat to humanity' and saying he was 'seriously considering' revoking her American citizenship.
'Don't look at our inaction at prosecuting a sex trafficking ring to the rich and powerful,' Stewart exclaimed. 'We must focus on the real issue: The denaturalization of the co-star of 'Riding the Bus with My Sister,'' he cracked.
'MAGA is losing their s— right now. They cannot believe what they're seeing,' Stewart, 62, said.
'Trump is lying? Dismissing reasonable concerns as bad-faith whining? Attacking anyone who disagrees?' he told the audience with an expression feigning shock.
'Well, as a resident of blue America, can I just say right now to my red colleagues that my pronouns are 'how does' and 'my ass taste?'' Stewart said to applause.
'The Trump that you're just experiencing now, to your deep disappointment and dismay, is the dude we've been dealing with the whole f—ing time. You just didn't realize it because he's been nice to you.'
'Whether it's natural disasters, or tariff carveouts, or immigration enforcement or a million other issues, Trump's MAGA base always benefits from favorable treatment,' Stewart said.
'Except now they're finally understanding what it's like to be the target of his hostility,' he said.
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