Jon Stewart has blasted Mary Trump on The Daily Show, after the former president's niece called the comedian a "danger to democracy."
Stewart began Monday's show by responding to the criticism he'd received from viewers following last week's season premiere. The 61-year-old has returned to the late-night talk show following a 9-year break, covering the run-up to the 2024 general election.
Stewart was accused of being "bothsideist" after mocking likely 2024 presidential candidates Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
He showcased a series of angry posts that viewers shared to X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, including Mary Trump.
"Not only is Stewart's 'both sides are the same' rhetoric not funny, it's a potential disaster for democracy," she wrote, claiming his monologue was the "same b*******" that helped her uncle get elected in 2016.
She later released a newsletter titled "Jon Stewart's Danger to Democracy."
Newsweek has reached out to Jon Stewart and Mary Trump for comment via email.
Mary Trump, the daughter of Donald Trump's brother Fred Trump Jr. is a vocal critic of her uncle.
She published a tell-all book about the business mogul and her family in 2020, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man, with the title selling one million copies within a week of its release.
At The New Republic's Stop Trump Summit in October, the clinical psychologist described the politician as a "deeply insecure fascist. In January, she applauded the defamation lawsuit ruling that ordered Trump to pay E. Jean Carrol $83.3 million in damages.
What Did Jon Stewart Say About Donald Trump and Joe Biden?
During his show on February 12, Stewart described Trump and Biden as "similarly challenged."
"It is not crazy to think that the oldest people in the history of the country to ever run for president might have some of these challenges," he said, debating whether either candidate is fit to run the country.
"We're not suggesting neither man is vibrant, productive, or even capable," Stewart said. "But they're both stretching the limits of being able to handle the toughest job in the world."
At 81 years old, Biden has faced jibes and concerns about his age throughout his tenure. However, Trump is not far behind at 77-years-old.
The real estate magnate became the second-oldest president upon finishing his term in 2020. The oldest-ever president was Ronald Reagan, who was 77 at the end of his presidency. However, Biden will soon take the title, whether or not he lands a second term in the White House.
Hitting back at Mary Trump's criticism of the segment, Stewart said: "It was just one f****** show. I did 20 minutes of one f****** show.
"But I guess as the famous saying goes, 'democracy dies in discussion.'"
Joking that he had "sinned" by mocking the Democratic and Republican frontrunners, Stewart said it "was never my intention to say out loud what I saw with my eyes and then brain," adding, "I can do better."
The talk show host then took a lesson in "unquestioning propaganda" from Tucker Carlson, lambasting the former Fox News host over his recent trip to Russia.
The conservative commentator recently visited Moscow, where he interviewed President Vladimir Putin, with Stewart slamming the 54-year-old for his positive depiction of the country.
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About the writer
Sophie is a Newsweek Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in Lincoln, UK. Her focus is reporting on film and ... Read more