Late-night television hosts in the United States have launched a fresh barrage of criticism at former President Donald Trump, targeting his use of an ableist slur and his bewildering statements about a recent medical scan.
Stewart's Scathing Critique on 'The Daily Show'
Jon Stewart returned from the Thanksgiving holiday with pointed commentary on Trump's conduct. He focused on a Truth Social post from the weekend in which Trump labelled Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was Kamala Harris's running mate, as "seriously retarded."
"On Thanksgiving?! Are you confusing that with Festivus?" Stewart exclaimed on Monday's episode of The Daily Show. He expressed disbelief that amidst a family holiday, Trump's "initial instinct was to Truth a slur at Tim Walz."
The comedian then turned to Trump's attempts to address ongoing questions about his health. When asked by reporters about a recently revealed MRI scan he underwent in October, Trump claimed he had "no idea" what part of his body was scanned, asserting it wasn't his brain because he "took a cognitive test, and I aced it."
"That's not physically possible," Stewart retorted. "To have no idea, it's not possible. What would you say to the doctor? 'No no no, don't tell me. I want to find out at my MRI reveal party.'"
He continued his mockery, asking, "For God's sakes, man, were you not curious at all? When they laid you down in a tube for a half an hour 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'?"
Colbert and Kimmel Join the Fray
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert also highlighted the Walz incident, noting that "Trump celebrated Thanksgiving in his traditional way – with racism." He zeroed in on the contradiction of Trump promising to release his MRI results while claiming ignorance of the scan's purpose.
"Uh, here's a theory: maybe the part that's broken is the part that's supposed to know," Colbert quipped. He referenced a subsequent letter from Trump's doctor, posted by staff, which stated the MRI was given "because men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health."
"OK, fair enough," Colbert said. "Men in his age group also benefit from retiring, so … can we write that prescription next?"
Over on ABC, Jimmy Kimmel bluntly addressed Trump's follow-up comment on Air Force One, where he insisted of Walz that "I think there's something wrong with him." Kimmel labelled it "another bold statement from the president of the eighth grade."
Kimmel also mocked Trump's persistently low approval ratings, joking that "there are gas station bathrooms on Yelp with higher approval ratings than Donald Trump right now." He further criticised Trump's promise to pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, convicted on drug trafficking charges, calling it "unbelievable hypocrisy."
Fallout and Political Reactions
The controversy began over the holiday weekend with Trump's social media post. When pressed by the press corps, who had to remain at Mar-a-Lago, Trump refused to apologise, instead doubling down on his critique of Governor Walz.
Walz's own response was succinct: "Release the MRI results." This prompted Trump's pledge to do so, leading directly to the confused exchange about the nature of the scan itself.
The incident has fuelled further discussion about Trump's rhetoric and his handling of questions regarding his fitness for office. The late-night hosts collectively framed the events as part of a pattern, using comedy to highlight what they portray as concerning behaviour from the former president.
