Jon Stewart slams US President Donald Trump over oil-linked justification for deadly Venezuela attack
The Daily Show host Jon Stewart did not hold back on Monday night as he tore into Donald Trump following a dramatic U.S. military operation in Venezuela.
The segment came after U.S. forces carried out a late night raid that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores at their home. At least 80 people were reportedly killed during the operation, which immediately sparked global outrage and raised serious questions about the justification behind the intervention.
Stewart opened by pointing out that, historically, the United States tends to dress up foreign interventions with lofty moral language. There is usually some carefully packaged reasoning about freedom, democracy, or global security. This time, Stewart questioned what moral framework the Trump administration could use to explain such a violent operation.
He then rolled clips of Trump openly saying the U.S. would maintain a presence in Venezuela to access its oil reserves. That was enough to send Stewart into a full meltdown.
Is this your first war? I mean, what the **?!?’ he shouted, appearing stunned by what he described as a blunt justification.
Trying to make sense of it all, Stewart turned his attention to Republican senator Lindsey Graham, practically begging him to offer a reason for the attack that did not revolve around oil.
Graham, speaking from Air Force One, attempted to reframe the situation by claiming the operation had saved lives. “There are going to be Americans alive today because he shut down a narco-terrorist state called Venezuela. This is a good thing, not a bad thing,” Graham said.
But any attempt at a cleaner narrative quickly unravelled when Trump once again chimed in, this time suggesting that U.S. oil companies would play a role in rebuilding Venezuela’s infrastructure.
That was the breaking point for Stewart. “* it! What?!?” he yelled as he dramatically ripped up a stack of papers on his desk. “We can’t even be conspiracy theorists now!”
Stewart then played another clip, this time featuring Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who highlighted that Venezuela is also rich in steel, aluminium and what he described as “critical minerals.”
The moment pushed Stewart into full satire mode. “These motherfuckers are going full conquistador in front of our eyes!” he joked, before launching into a mock impression of Lutnick.
“I mean, they got oil, steel, minerals. And oh, don’t forget about the spices, spices! We’ll load our ships with cinnamon and cardamom, oil and everything bagels, you’ll see!” he added, leaning hard into the absurdity of the situation.
The segment struck a nerve with viewers, many of whom shared clips online as criticism of the administration continued to grow. Stewart’s rant captured the disbelief felt by critics who say the operation appeared to prioritise economic interests over human cost.
While the White House has defended the move as necessary for national security, Stewart’s takedown highlighted how difficult it has been to sell that argument when senior officials appear so candid about Venezuela’s resources.
As reactions continue to pour in, Stewart’s message was clear. If this was meant to be a moral mission, he was not buying it, and neither, it seems, were many watching at home.