🔗 Share this article The Daily Show host regarding the President's Venezuela Military Intervention: 'It's Just Exhausting' Late-night television hosts sharply criticized the shocking military action against Caracas, the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, and nebulous plans to "govern" the country. The Former Daily Show Host In his return to the program in 2026, Stewart immediately addressed the shock decision to remove Maduro from power in early January, an action condemned by more than a dozen countries as a "violation of sovereignty." "Now, obviously, this is actually a very dangerous moment for the international community," he stated. "It's extraordinarily rare for a sovereign nation to breach the airspace and territory of another independent country and execute a grab and go on their president." "Look, no one knows how this operation is going to unfold," he added. "However, judging by the America's track record, my prediction is we’re going to be pleased about this for a couple of weeks. And then three decades from now, there will be a Venezuelan leftist revolution, and the new government will point to this event as the cause our diplomatic mission there is on fire. And it will completely derail a Democrat’s presidency. Generally, that’s how this stuff works." Stewart also pointed out the frank confession that the operation was motivated in part by access to petroleum resources, even after advisors' efforts to frame it as an anti-drug trafficking effort. "Petroleum. Valuable resource, undoubtedly – but not the reason a nation, formed 250 years ago on the ideas of freedom and independence, would invade a country and snatch a man at night," he argued. "You'd think there would be a slightly more noble pretense. Have you never done this before? I mean, what the fuck?" He joked that the honesty eliminated conspiracy theories: "'I think they did it for the oil' – Actually, I did it for the oil." Stewart noted the concerning standard being set: "Whenever we want something and it’s within reach, we are going to seize it." "The people I feel sorry for are the Trump defendants, the defenders, the yes-men, who haven’t received the message that we no longer have to frame our military actions in the lofty principles of our nation," he concluded. "The reality is, this is all exhausting and reveals the great divide in America – and I don't mean the ocean. The true chasm is the gap between the noble ideals that founded this country and the thuggish gangsterism that this crew thinks makes us strong." Jimmy Kimmel Kimmel returned with a quick summary of the eventful holiday break. "You'd need a multi-part documentary series to cover it all," he joked. "I'll try to summarize." He reminded viewers that the former President recently presided over a major awards ceremony, which allegedly earned the lowest ratings in the program's history. "I pity the White House intern who had to tear that headline out and eat ’em," he mused. Kimmel also highlighted the stark contrast between a promise of "peace on earth" and the decision to launch a military intervention just later. "If you were wondering how bad these released documents are for Trump, apparently they’re 'invade Venezuela' bad," he remarked. More absurdly, Kimmel ridiculed the assertion about now running Venezuela. "He’s going to run Venezuela? He can’t even run the country he runs!" he fumed. "This is like if a struggling store decided to buy another bankrupt chain." The CBS Late Show Host On his program, Colbert commented on the unexpected operation. "What does this tell us? Those documents must be crazy," he suggested, sipping on stage. "Let's be clear, Maduro is not a good guy," he stated. "The question is suddenly decide to snatch their president in what seems like a breach of United States and international law? Well, allegedly, the last straw was Maduro’s regular public dancing." "Well, that's a novel excuse," said Colbert after viewing a clip. "Let this be a warning to every enthusiastic dancer." Colbert then poked fun at the ensuing question of who would govern Venezuela, joking it might come down to streaming services. "Of course, Trump has his idea," which is to "manage the nation until such time as a orderly and legitimate transition." "Oh, so this country and Venezuela?" he joked. "Apparently, when he says 'America first' he means in the dictionary." The NBC Late Night Host "Everyone, Donald Trump set a record this weekend by becoming the first-ever winner of a international peace award to bomb another country and kidnap its leader," joked Meyers. "It's the biggest surprise since a notorious character was voted the last person to commit a certain act." Meyers criticized the efforts to justify the attack as a crusade against drug trafficking, while the President immediately confessed the reason was petroleum. "It's astonishing how Trump just undercuts everyone around him and states the blunt reality," he said. He also played a series of clips highlighting previous rhetoric railing against "foreign entanglements." "It's hard to comprehend anyone thought Trump was telling the truth about being anti-war," he said. "You really thought Donald Trump, the most impulsive man on the planet, would suddenly discover the concept of restraint when he gained control of the U.S. armed forces? Giving Donald Trump control of the armed forces is like giving a reality TV cast an open bar and a 'permission to fight' coupon. There’s gonna be a lot of fighting, a lot of drama and a lot of really bad dancing."
Late-night television hosts sharply criticized the shocking military action against Caracas, the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, and nebulous plans to "govern" the country. The Former Daily Show Host In his return to the program in 2026, Stewart immediately addressed the shock decision to remove Maduro from power in early January, an action condemned by more than a dozen countries as a "violation of sovereignty." "Now, obviously, this is actually a very dangerous moment for the international community," he stated. "It's extraordinarily rare for a sovereign nation to breach the airspace and territory of another independent country and execute a grab and go on their president." "Look, no one knows how this operation is going to unfold," he added. "However, judging by the America's track record, my prediction is we’re going to be pleased about this for a couple of weeks. And then three decades from now, there will be a Venezuelan leftist revolution, and the new government will point to this event as the cause our diplomatic mission there is on fire. And it will completely derail a Democrat’s presidency. Generally, that’s how this stuff works." Stewart also pointed out the frank confession that the operation was motivated in part by access to petroleum resources, even after advisors' efforts to frame it as an anti-drug trafficking effort. "Petroleum. Valuable resource, undoubtedly – but not the reason a nation, formed 250 years ago on the ideas of freedom and independence, would invade a country and snatch a man at night," he argued. "You'd think there would be a slightly more noble pretense. Have you never done this before? I mean, what the fuck?" He joked that the honesty eliminated conspiracy theories: "'I think they did it for the oil' – Actually, I did it for the oil." Stewart noted the concerning standard being set: "Whenever we want something and it’s within reach, we are going to seize it." "The people I feel sorry for are the Trump defendants, the defenders, the yes-men, who haven’t received the message that we no longer have to frame our military actions in the lofty principles of our nation," he concluded. "The reality is, this is all exhausting and reveals the great divide in America – and I don't mean the ocean. The true chasm is the gap between the noble ideals that founded this country and the thuggish gangsterism that this crew thinks makes us strong." Jimmy Kimmel Kimmel returned with a quick summary of the eventful holiday break. "You'd need a multi-part documentary series to cover it all," he joked. "I'll try to summarize." He reminded viewers that the former President recently presided over a major awards ceremony, which allegedly earned the lowest ratings in the program's history. "I pity the White House intern who had to tear that headline out and eat ’em," he mused. Kimmel also highlighted the stark contrast between a promise of "peace on earth" and the decision to launch a military intervention just later. "If you were wondering how bad these released documents are for Trump, apparently they’re 'invade Venezuela' bad," he remarked. More absurdly, Kimmel ridiculed the assertion about now running Venezuela. "He’s going to run Venezuela? He can’t even run the country he runs!" he fumed. "This is like if a struggling store decided to buy another bankrupt chain." The CBS Late Show Host On his program, Colbert commented on the unexpected operation. "What does this tell us? Those documents must be crazy," he suggested, sipping on stage. "Let's be clear, Maduro is not a good guy," he stated. "The question is suddenly decide to snatch their president in what seems like a breach of United States and international law? Well, allegedly, the last straw was Maduro’s regular public dancing." "Well, that's a novel excuse," said Colbert after viewing a clip. "Let this be a warning to every enthusiastic dancer." Colbert then poked fun at the ensuing question of who would govern Venezuela, joking it might come down to streaming services. "Of course, Trump has his idea," which is to "manage the nation until such time as a orderly and legitimate transition." "Oh, so this country and Venezuela?" he joked. "Apparently, when he says 'America first' he means in the dictionary." The NBC Late Night Host "Everyone, Donald Trump set a record this weekend by becoming the first-ever winner of a international peace award to bomb another country and kidnap its leader," joked Meyers. "It's the biggest surprise since a notorious character was voted the last person to commit a certain act." Meyers criticized the efforts to justify the attack as a crusade against drug trafficking, while the President immediately confessed the reason was petroleum. "It's astonishing how Trump just undercuts everyone around him and states the blunt reality," he said. He also played a series of clips highlighting previous rhetoric railing against "foreign entanglements." "It's hard to comprehend anyone thought Trump was telling the truth about being anti-war," he said. "You really thought Donald Trump, the most impulsive man on the planet, would suddenly discover the concept of restraint when he gained control of the U.S. armed forces? Giving Donald Trump control of the armed forces is like giving a reality TV cast an open bar and a 'permission to fight' coupon. There’s gonna be a lot of fighting, a lot of drama and a lot of really bad dancing."