🔗 Share this article

Late-night television hosts this week trained their comedic fire on former President Donald Trump, criticizing his use of an ableist slur and portrayed as unconvincing attempts to alleviate public concerns about his cognitive health.

The Daily Show's Pointed Commentary

Kicking off the week, Jon Stewart took aim at a controversial post in which Trump referred to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz using a highly offensive ableist term. "On Thanksgiving?!" Stewart exclaimed. "Are you confusing that with Festivus?"

When questioned by reporters if he felt any remorse, Trump is said to have doubled down, insisting there was "something seriously wrong" with the Democratic 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 notorious associates, but your initial instinct was to post an insult at Tim Walz? And there’s something wrong with him?"

The comedian then addressed Trump's bizarre explanation of a recently disclosed medical scan. In an attempt to dismiss concerns, Trump claimed he had "zero knowledge" what part of his body was examined, suggesting it "wasn’t the brain" because he "took a cognitive test."

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

He continued, "For God’s sakes, man, were you not curious at all? 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, ‘This is a noisy tanning bed’?"

Stewart further ridiculed Trump's assertion of a "flawless result" on the scan. "Apparently, that's the way they score the MRIs," he quipped. "It's either a big stamp, ‘Perfect,’ or you get in red ink, ‘See me.’"

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 views them like livestock," he remarked, referencing criticism over funding a luxury ballroom over addressing affordability concerns.

"In other news, Trump celebrated Thanksgiving in his customary fashion – with racism," Colbert noted, alluding to an anti-immigrant rant from the weekend. "Somewhere in 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.

"Uh, here’s a theory: maybe the part that’s broken is the part that’s meant to retain that information," Colbert noted.

He then mocked the follow-up official explanation—a medical note stating the MRI was for preventative screening. "OK, fair enough," Colbert conceded. "People his age also benefit from retiring, so … can we write that prescription next?"

Jimmy Kimmel's Blunt Assessment

Jimmy Kimmel also blasted Trump's choice of words. "See, he can be presidential when he wants to be!" he remarked sarcastically. "I wonder why he didn’t get that Nobel peace prize. It makes no sense."

Regarding Trump's subsequent statement that he thinks "there is a problem" with Walz, Kimmel was blunt: "yet another profound insight from the president of the middle school."

Kimmel also addressed Trump's claims of record-high approval ratings. "This indicates it’s not just books he can’t read," Kimmel said, pointing to polling showing high negative ratings. "There are gas station bathrooms on Yelp with better reviews than Donald Trump right now."

The host concluded by criticizing Trump's pledge to pardon a convicted former Honduran president. "Now some have pointed out the staggering contradiction of Trump tough on drugs elsewhere, while simultaneously pardoning a man who shipped a massive quantity of cocaine to this country," said Kimmel. "Such individuals are just detractors, you know? Relax!"

"During his campaign, Trump made it perfectly obvious: his key goals were a) granting clemency to cartel leaders and b) constructing a venue to ballroom dance," he added. "Promises made, promises kept."