Jon Stewart returned to The Daily Show on Monday night and did what he often does during his hosting stints: untangle political contradictions with a mix of humor, frustration, and pointed commentary. This time, his focus was the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse killed by federal agents, and the evolving public explanations offered by government officials.
Stewart opened the segment by introducing his guest, former Washington Post Tehran bureau chief Jason Rezaian, and drew a comparison to unrest in Iran. “Iran right now an authoritarian state currently being rocked by protests that threaten to tear the whole nation apart,” he said. After a beat, he added with sarcasm, “I mean, can you imagine?” before shifting into a more serious tone.
Much of Stewart’s criticism was aimed at the narrative advanced by officials such as DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who suggested Pretti was involved in a plot against ICE agents. Stewart pushed back by referencing emerging video evidence.
“I’m hearing there may be some grainy Zapruderlike footage from I don’t know every angle imaginable that contradicts the government’s version of events,” he said. The segment included a pre-recorded appearance by Jordan Klepper, framed as a live hit from Minneapolis.
Klepper mocked the constantly changing justifications for Pretti’s death using exaggerated visuals, including a graphic depicting ICE agents as kittens and Pretti as a cartoon villain. “DHS is not married to this version. Here’s another one they’re pitching: What if I told you the ICE agents just do this on the side, and they’re actually all K-pop stars,” he joked.
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“You didn’t let me finish: And they’re all gay hockey players,” he added. Because the show tapes in the afternoon, Stewart narrowly missed the news that Border Patrol official Greg Bovino had been dismissed.
Still, he managed to work in a jab about the “commander in short … who, by the way, appears to be just a new character the Trump cinematic universe has introduced. Where the fuck did this guy even come from? It’s his first season on the show.”
Stewart also addressed reports that ICE agents feel demoralized by public criticism. “People screaming ‘Fuck you’ eight hours a day is basically every customer service job in this country,” he said.
As he walked through the administration’s changing explanations, Stewart highlighted the contradiction in blaming Pretti’s legally owned gun while a video reportedly showed he did not try to use it. “Are you saying … that the guns are the problem?” he asked, as the show leaned into the absurdity with a visual gag of a flying pig.
He broadened his critique by pointing to what he sees as selective outrage on the right. “I wasn’t shocked when you guys gave up the First Amendment, and I wasn’t shocked when you gave up the Fourth Amendment, and the 10th Amendment, and the 14th Amendment at Trump’s behest, but the Second?” he said.
He followed with another jab: “Isn’t that kind of the load-bearing law of the ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ flag? Your snake’s down to a newt … C’mon, guns are your whole personality.” Stewart closed the segment on a sober note, accusing those in power of knowingly distorting the truth.
“To add insult to injury is the denial of the reality that we all witnessed. They’re lying. We saw it. And that’s how brazen they lie when they know we’ve seen the truth,” he said, before concluding that what truly made Pretti dangerous was not a gun but the camera he carried.
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